IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


Iti|2j8    |2.5 
S   Iffi    12.0 

U 


18 


1 

1.25      1.4       1.6 

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Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


l/u 


^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  MIeroraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  liistoriques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


0   Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I     I   Covers  damaged/ 


D 


□ 
D 
D 

n 


Couverture  endommagte 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicula 


I      I   Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□   Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


D 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouttes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  ie  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6ti&  fiimies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppi^mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ^ti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  f iimage 
sont  indiquto  ci-dessous. 


r     I   Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Ptiges  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  peliicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  dteolortes,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Shovirthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materif 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 


I — I  Ptiges  damaged/ 

I — I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I — I  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

rr>|  Shovirthrough/ 

r^  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  fiimies  A  nouveau  de  iagon  i 
obtenir  la  meiileure  image  possible. 


Th 
po 
of 
filr 


Ori 
bei 
th< 
sio 
oti 
fin 
sio 
or 


Th( 
shi 
TIf 
wh 

iVIfl 
difl 
enl 
be^ 

rig 
rec 
me 


:<;  --. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  f  ilmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 


14X 


18X 


22X 


26X 


30X 


7 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  hare  has  baan  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of : 

Victoria  Univartity  Library  Toronto 


L'axamplaira  fiimi  f ut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
gAnArositA  da: 

Victoria  Univartity  Library  Toronto 


Tha  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  4tA  reproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  natteti  de  i'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fllmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couvarture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  emprelnte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autras  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commenpant  par  la 
premlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  emprelnte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
emprelnte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
darniftre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fllmte  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  i'angia  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  hs'jt  en  bas,  en  prenent  le  nombre 
d'ime^es  n^cessMire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
iliustrent  la  m6thoda. 


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VICTORIA  UNIVERSITY 
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SKETCHES  OF  THE  FALLS 


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S^ffiKSmT  £.B^i&€EMT. 


H«K  iipaak*  the  voice  of  God  I    Let  man  b*  dumb, 

Nor  with  hi*  vlUn  M^trlngt  hither  oome; 

That  Toioe  ioipalv  tfrtie  holloir  aoandlng  floodf,  _  >.  {ff- 

And  liko  »  presence  filU  th«  distant  woods.      .,  ' ' 


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BUFFALO:        . 


1882. 


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SBTENTH  EDITION — WITH  ADDITIONS. 


BUFFALO: 
FRANKLIN   STEAM   PRINTING    HOUSE. 

THOUAS,  TTPOGRAFHER. 
1862 


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ADVBBTISEMBNT. 

t3^  The  PiilPk'ietor  of  the  Niagara  Falla  Museum,  moit  grateful  to  the  tnreUng 
public  for  the  liberal  support  he  has  received  during  a  residence  of  tventyflTe  yean 
at  the  Falls,  would  respectfully  announce,  that  he  has  Just  completed  a  new  roadi 
leading  down  the  banic  to  the  foot  of  Table  Roclc  and  the  great  Horse  Shoe  Falls, 
for  the  accommodation  of  those  wishing  to  get  the  grande^view,  and  pau  nnder 
the  great  sheet  of  water. 

The  road  is  immediately  opposite  the  Museum,  near  Table  Rock.  It  is  perfectly 
safe  of  ascent,  being  cut  through  the  solid  rock.  The  view,  in  passing  down,  ia 
one  of  the  finest  that  tan  be  had.  The  Proprietor  furnishes  all  the  Decenary 
dresses  and  good  guides,  who  will  point  out  all  the  interesting  localities  to  tbost 
wishing  to  go  under  the  Great  Cataract. 

He  would  also  call  the  attention  of  the  public  to  his  Muaeum,  so  highly  spoken 
of  by  all  scientific  men  who  have  visited  it  Such  institutions,  in  cities,  are  gener* 
ally  made  more  a  repository  of  works  of  Art  than  those  of  Nature.    He  haa  mad« 

in   2011         Thomas  Babnwt. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1848,  by 

Jewbtt,  Thohas  &  Co., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Northern  District  of  the  State  of  New  YoA. 


JAN  2  G  1985 


Lhttp://www.archive.org/details/cihm_429| 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  accordance  with  patent  custom,  we  have  christened  our 
book ;  but  the  title  by  which  it  is  hereafter  to  be  distinguished 
from  other  pubhcations  on  the  same  subject,  is,  we  are  bound 
to  confess,  something  of  a  misnomer.  This  is  not,  strictly 
Hpeaking,  the  "Album  of  the  Table  Rock," — it  is  a  melange 
made  up  of  excerpts  from  a  library  of  Albums.  The  absence 
of  arrangement  and  classi6cation  of  the  articles  is  the  result 
of  accident,  not  of  carelessness  or  design.  The  materials  are 
selected  at  random,  and  the  grouping,  grotesque  as  it  may  be, 
is  in  perfect  keeping  with  any  one  or  all  the  books  from  which 
the  gleanings  are  made.  If  seriousness  and  solemnity  are 
placed  in  ludicrous  juxtaposition  with  levity  and  lightness,  that 
is  the  doing  of  the  authors  of  the  books  themselves,  and  not 
of  the  editor  of  this  compilation  from  these  books.  Our  right 
to  print  nonsense  is  not  a  jot  more  questionable  than  that  of 
the  visitors  to  the  Falls  to  write  it  in  these  public  books ;  but 
having  the  fear  of  an  "intelligent  public"  before  our  eyes,  we 
have  purposely  abstained  from  making  any  more  licentious  use 
of  our  undoubted  privilege  than  is  necessary  for  preserving  to 
our  book  the  character  of*an  Album. 

Much  that  is  written  is  not  fit  to  be  printed,  to  be  sure ;  and 
it  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  innumerable  host  of  writers  who 
have  perpetrated  composition  in  the  volumes  of  manuscript 
now  before  us,  should  have  added  so  little  to  the  general  stock 
of  legitimate  and  permanent  literature.  But  the  actual  amount 
of  frivolous  nonsense  which  constitutes  so  large  a  portion  of  the 


INTEODUOnOK. 


contents  of  the  books  from  which  our  selection  is  made,  is  not 
at  all  to  be  calculated  by  the  specimens  now  and  then  exhibited. 
Wo  have  given  the  best;  and,  when  in  any  degree  redeemed 
by  wit  or  humor,  wo  have  not  been  so  fastidious,  perhaps,  as 
we  should  have  been,  in  excluding  the  worst  specimen  of  this 
gratuitous  authorship — always  endeavoring,  however,  to  take 
care  that  decency  shall  not  be  outraged,  nor  delicacy  shocked; 
and  in  this  respect,  however  improbable  it  may  seem,  prccau< 
tiun  hiis  been  by  no  means  unnecessary. 

In  criticising  the  "Album" — if  anybody  should  condescend 
to  honor  it  in  that  way — it  shotild  not  be  forgotten,  that  the 
articles  of  which  it  is  composed  are  written,  not  only  by  per- 
sons who  arc  not  recognized  or  professed  authors,  but  without 
the  care,  time,  or  study,  usually  bestowed  on  composition  in- 
tended for  the  press — generally,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  without 
any  premeditation  whatever.  In  making  up  the  book,  we  have 
not  unfrequently  been  obliged  to  add  and  deduct,  as  the  case 
might  be,  to  lines  which  their  authors  meant  to  be  of  a  certain 
measure,  in  order  to  bring  them  within  the  rules  of  prosody. 
If,  in  such  cases,  we  «have  weakened  or  mistranslated  an  idea, 
the  best  excuse  will  be  to  plead  guilty ;  and  we  do  so,  accord 
ingly,  with  this  condition,  that  we  be  distinctly  chargeable,  at 
the  same  time,  with  making  all  the  alterations  which  we  have 
made — and  they  are  not  few — on  purpose,  and  because  we 
thought  they  were  amendments. 

It  is  likely — very,  that  there  are  numerous  plagiarisms  in 
this,  as  in  other  "Albums."  Nay,  we  do  not  know  that  we 
may  not,  in  some  cases,  have  made  a  readable  stanza,  here 
and  there,  out  of  another's  literary*  larceny :  but,  not  having 
read  all  the  printed  books  in  the  world,  we  put  in  ignorance 
as  our  plea  in  defense  of  the  unintentional  error. 

There  is,  perhaps,  little  originality  in  the  book,  upon  the 
whole;  but  the  idea  of  getting  up  such  a  work  has  not 
hitherto,  to  our  knowledge,  been  acted  upon;  and  if  the 
publication  of  it  should  be  attended  with  any  measure  of 


i\ 


INTRODUCTION. 


ytt 


success,  it  may  have  a  tendency  to  clcvato  and  purify  the 
character  of  these  Albums  and  Registers  hereafter,  inasmuch 
as  when  people  find  that  "  there 's  a  chicl  nmang  them  takin' 
notes,"  they  will,  in  all  likelihood,  be  more  guarded,  perhaps 
more  studious,  too,  to  write  well  what  they  do  write ;  and  let 
( \  us  hope,  that  in  the  next  edition  wc  shall  be  able,  not  only  to 
add  much  that  may  be  interesting,  but  also  furnish  the  names 
of  our  numerous  contributors.  It  has  been  annoying  to  us  in 
compiling  the  present  work,  to  find  such  extreme  parsimony 
of  signature — so  much  so,  that,  in  many  cases,  it  is  difiQcuIt 
to  tell  where  one  article  ends  and  another  begins  in  the 
original. 

We  now  send  forth  our  little  pioneer,  not  without  hope  that 
it  will  meet  with  some  favor ;  and,  at  all  events,  without  any 
doubt  that  the  idea,  thus  suggested,  will  hereafter  be  success* 
fully  followed  out,  whether  failure  or  success  be  the  recom- 
pense of  our  present  undertaking. 
June,  1856 


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,1     TABLE  ROCK  ALBUM. 


••% 


PART  I. 

NIAGARA  FALLS. 

"There's  nothing  greKt  oPhri^M,  thou  glorious  Fall !" 

Thou  mayest  not  to  the  fAncy's  sense  recall, 

The  thunder-liven  cloud,  the  lightning^s  leap, 

The  stirring  of  the  chambers  of  the  deep, 

Earth's  emerald  green,  and  many  tinted  dyes, 

The  fleecy  whiteness  of  the  upper  skies, 

The  tread  of  armies  thickening  as  they  come. 

The  boom  of  cannon  and  the  beat  of  arum. 

The  brow  of  beauty  and  the  form  of  grace. 

The  passion  and  the  prowess  of  our  race, 

The  song  of  Homer  in  its  loftiest  hour. 

The  unresisted  sweep  of  human  power 

Britannia's  trident  on  the  azure  sea, 

America's  young  shout  of  liberty ! 

Oh !  may  the  waves  that  madden  in  thy  deep. 

There  spend  their  rage  nor  climb  the  encircling  steep,- 

And  till  the  conflict  of  thy  surges  cease. 

The  nations  on  thy  banks  repose  in  peace ! 

MORPBTR 


The  roaring  of  thy  waters,  0  Niagara,  would  have  struck 
me  with  terror,  had  1  not  been  long  familiar  with  the  roaring 
of  human  passion.  I  should  have  wondered  at  thy  eternal 
motion,  had  I  not  felt  my  own  soul  to  be  infinitely  more  mo- 
tional ;  at  thy  unchangeable  perpetuity  were  there  not  in  my 
own  soul  a  voice  forever  crying— "through  the  ages  I  am  the 


-'V/'«    •• , 


10 


TABLE  EOCK  ALBUM. 


same,  and  my  years  end  not"  My  soul  has  felt  a  deeper  fall 
than  thy  waters,  0  Niagara,  and  experienced  a  higher  rise 
than  tliy  sun-penciled  ste^uns.  All  that  thou  hast,  and  art, 
most  wonderful !  lontj  ngo  the  unseen  engendered  in  my  soul ; 
and  I  hail  thee  now,  though  seeing  thee  for  the  first  time  as  a 
familiar  friend.  Thou  art  the  actual  type  of  my  ideal — and 
yet,  not  the  highest,  for  I  believe  in  greater  than  thou — for  is 
not  the  Greater  present  in  every  conscious,  thinking  soul  ? 

Henry  G.  Wright, 
June  8, 1843.  ITam,  Surry,  England 


The  subscriber  would  respectfully  inform  the  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen visiting  Niagara  Falls,  that  he  has  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence in  its  vicinity,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  those  of  an  am- 
bitious temperament,  in  their  efforts  at  immortalization.  The 
subscriber  has  eftected  arrangements  with  several  artists  of 
reputation  and  science,  and  will  be  happy,  at  all  times,  to  sup- 
ply those  who  may  favor  him  with  their  orders.  Signs  of  all 
descriptions  and  sizes,  both  of  board  and  tin,  and  in  Boman, 
Greek,  or  German  characters,  in  blue,  red,  or  green  colored  let- 
tering. He  would  urge  upon  the  public  the  superiority  of  this 
plan  over  the  old  one,  of  carving  the  name  on  the  barks  of 
trees.  By  adopting  his  plan,  greater  legibility  and  publicity  is 
obtained,  as  well  as  greater  durability.  The  subscriber  has 
engaged  several  expert  climbers,  who  will  fasten  these  signs, 
if  needed,  to  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees,  or  weld  them  on 
the  most  remote  rocks.  But  to  those  professing  to  be  their 
own  artists,  he  would  say  that  he  intends  having  a  fall  supply 
of  paints  and  brushes,  of  the  most  approved  make,  as  well  as 
an  abundant  quantity  of  the  softest  kind  of  red  chalk.  Such 
gentlemen  as  prefer  the  time- honored  custom  of  carving  their 
names,  can  obtain,  at  the  subscriber's  place,  the  best  Barlow 
penknives  of  the  most  approved  patterns,  including  the  cele- 
brated style  used  by  the  facetious  gentleman  that  cut  his 
way  through  the  pine  swamp.  A  call  is  respectfully  solicited 
from  all. 

•       .  GuiDo  BucKTOP,  Artist^ 

'       '    V   ■     ',    '  Caveoftho  Winds. 


i 
■ 


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i 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


11 


I  have  gazed  on  nature — here — abroad, 

I  have  wandered  o'er  the  briny  deep ; 
Of  all  thy  works,  Almighty  God, 

This  is  the  greatest,  this  is  the  chief. 

A  roaring  cataract,  ever  foaming,  ever  rushing, 

Ever  boiling,  ever  raging,  ever  roaring,  ever  gushing 

From  some  great  source,  which  I  dare  not  tell, 

It  dashes  madly  down,  as  though  to  the  very  pit  of  hell. 


Presumptous  man,  you  dare  to  write 

Of  nature's  works  and  the  Great  Architect  of  all ! 
Bend  down  thy  knee,  and  revere  His  might. 

Who  formed  this  cataract,  who  made  this  fall. 

Henry  D.  O'Reilly. 


Forgive  these  lines;  they  emanate  from  the  pen  of  ono 
who  derives  his  inspiration  from  the  sublime  works  which 
surround  him.  Poetry  is  not  my  forte.  I  was  never  formed 
to  be  a  brilliant  writer;  but  silence  is  not  the  only  admiration 
which  these  great  works  deserve.  I  have  been  aflfected,  aye, 
and  deeply  too,  by  incidents  which  occur  in  every  day  life,  by 
the  selfishness  of  mankind,  the  coldness  of  friends,  the  signs 
of  mortality,  as  some  chferished  companion,  some  favorite 
branch,  was  suddenly  lopped  from  the  great  tree  of  life ;  nay, 
I  have  even  been  touched  more  nearly  than  this — I  have  lost 
home,  friends,  kindred, — I  am  a  solitary  wanderer  o'er  the 
world's  wide  waste — I  have  sipped,  to  its  very  dregs,  the  cup 
of  aiHictlon,  and  my  spirit  has  drank  deep  from  the  cup  of 
agony ;  but,  in  spite  of  all,  I  cannot  gaze  upon  this  spot  with- 
out feeling  how  little,  very,  very  little  and  insignificant  are 
my  sorrows  when  compared  with  the  ills  of  the  many ;  and 
power,  who,  in  one  moment,  can  level  all  mankind  with  the.dust, 
especially  when  I  witness  these  great  signs  of  the  Creator's 
— can  root  out  the  seeds  of  evil  from  the  ecrth,  and  the  germs 
of  sorrow  from  the  heart,  planting  in  their  place  the  everlast- 
ing fruits  of  righteousness,  of  peace,  of  comfort,  and  of  glad 
tilings  unto  all. 

Henry  D.  O'Reilly, 
•  ^-   :,    ^     '         Dublin,  Ireland 


12 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM, 


"0!  not  to  sing  presumptuous  praise. 
In  studied  words  and  measured  lays, 

Tiiis  sceneiy  survey — 
Omnipotence  is  imaged  here, 
Let  vainer  homage  disappear, 
And  kneel  and  pray. 

I  have  stood  in  the  forest,  with  no  one  near  but  God,  and 
mused  upon  his  grandeur,  his  power  and  his  great  mercy; 
while  the  low  winds,  sighing  among  the  trees,  seemed  as  if 
breathing  a  requiem  over  some  departed  soul.  I  have  stood 
upon  the  banks  of  Huron,  while  the  waters  were  lashed  into 
fury,  and  seemingly  striving  to  discover  some  helpless  object 
to  overwhelm  in  their  rage;  then  1  thought,  "How  wonderful 
are  thy  works,  0  God,  and  thy  ways  past  finding  out." 
Again,  I  have  stood,  when  it  seemed  as  if  God  had  said  to 
the  waves,  "Peace,  be  still,"  and  their  low,  satisfied  murmur 
seemed  to  reply,  "Thy  will,  O  Lord,  and  not  mine  be  done." 
I  have  stood  on  the  banks  of  the  river  as  it  glided  peacefully 
by,  seeming  to  say,  "Thus  shall  the  soul  of  the  just  man  be — 
yea,  their  peace  shall  flow  as  a  river."  All  these  have  I  seen , 
but  when  I  saw  Niagara,  I  stood  dumb,  "lost  in  wonder,  love, 
and  praise."  Can  it  be,  that  the  mighty  God  who  has  cleft 
these  rocks  with  a  stroke  of  his  power,  who  has  bid  these 
waters  roll  on  to  the  end  of  time,  foaming,  dashing,  thunder- 
ing in  their  course ;  can  it  be,  that  this  mighty  Being  has  said 
to  insignificant  mortals,  "I  will  be  thi/  God,  and  thou  shall 
be  mr/  people  ? "  01  Lord,  thy  7nerci/  as  well  as  thy  power 
endureth  forever !  Who  can  go  "  within  the  veil "  whifch  thine 
own  hand  hath  spread,  and  thus  separate  from  the  busy  world, 
with  nought  but  the  thunderings  of  thy  power  to  be  heard, 
say  "  there  is  no  God  ? " 

Roll  on !  thou  great  Niagara,  roll  on !  and  by  thy  ceaseless 
roaring,  lead  the  minds  of  mortals  from  Nature's  contempla- 
tion up  to  Nature's  God. 

J.  E.  Howard, 
T.  BameU's  Drawing  Room,  \  Detroit,  Mich. 

Oct.  17th,  1848. 


May  the  mighty  waters  of  the  Niagara  smother,  in  their 
eternal  vortex,  all  the  animosities  and  rancors  that  may  ever 
have  existed  between  Great  Britain  and  her  fair  daughter 


t 


TABLE   BOCK  ALBUM. 


18 


God,  and 
mercy ; 
oed  as  if 
ave  stood 
lied  into 
ss  object 
ronderful 
iig   out." 
1  said  to 
murmur 
e  done." 
eacefully 
lan  be — 
e  I  seen , 
uer,  love, 
has  cleft 
}id  these 
thunder- 
has  said 
lou  shall 
y  power 
i&h  thine 
5y  world, 
>e  heard, 

ceaseless 
itempla- 


,  Mich. 


in  their 
av  ever 
aughter 


of  the  West,  and  remain,  to  succeeding  generations,  an  ever- 
lasting and  indestructible  monument  of  the  harmony,  which, 
1  trust,  will  never  cease  to  exist  between  the  two  nations,  (of 
one  blood,)  at  once  the  most  enterprising  and  the  most  enlight- 
ened in  the  world. 
^03/23,1849.  George  Mair. 


Luego  que  las  cataratas  vi,  luego  sus  cuidas  me  dieron,  un 
no  se  qu6,  que  me  hicieron,  sosprendente  loque  vi. 

Miguel  db  Ajuria. 
Marro  25,  de  1850. 


Alfor  Dr.  A.  X.  S.  Martin,  Editor  de  la  Cronica,  N".  Y. 

Caro  amigo:  Bartante  enfermo  acabo  de  llegar  alas  cata- 
ratas del  Niagara,  pero  las  imprcssiones  que  en  mi  han  pro- 
diifido,  han  hecho  desaparecer  Qp,ri  completamente  mi  mal. 
Pintar  a  v.  lo  que  acabo  de  ver,  me  es  imposible;  y  u  manana 
vu(ilvo  a  leer  las  descripciones  publicadas  por  varios  escritores 
adocenados,  me  veire  de  ellos  y  los  dire  que  no  se  metan  a 
pint  ir  y  esplicar  la  naturaliza. 

De  vd.  afmo  amigo, 

J.  B.  Ghadevez. 

7  de  Juio,  1849. 


Mon  opinion  est  qu  'un  jour  en  le  viendra  a  terre. 

B.  Bequerre. 


On  voit  servant  des  tableaux  qui  representent  les  chutes  de 
Niagara, — mais  cet  imposible  d'en  faire  la  moindre  idee,  et 
faut  on  venir  sur  le  lieu  pour  en  juger 

Beguerre. 


Should  cruel  fate,  by  some  unconquer'd  spell. 
Consign  our  bodies,  souls  and  all,  to  hell. 
May  falls  like  these  be  sent  there  too, 
To  drown  us  out  of  such  a  monstrous  stew. 

T.J.R 

Aug.  25,  '49.  •     ■ 


14 


TABLE  ROOK   ALBUM. 


CHUTES  DE  NJAQABA. 

Rouicz  voire  voix  do  tonnerre!  puissantes  cataractes.  Ce- 
lui  qui  vouH  crcu  rci^urdc  la-Iiaut  ce  qui  se  passe  ici  bas  a 
do'criero  ni:»  ODUvrcn  immuable,  c'est  entreprendre  de  de'pas- 
scr  hkilimite  qu  '11  a  marquuc  a  la  capacite  de  I'homme! 

Ob!  vouM  tout*  qui  visitez  ccs  chutes  immortelles,  abaissez- 
vous  devaut  la  mum  do  Dieu !  Dieu,  parle  cette  voix  si  forte, 
Thomme  doit  so  tuiro  ct  adorer! 

—  P£T£R  H.  Met. 

Jeudi  Midi,  IS  N(fv.,  1849.  . 


Hail  to  tbcc,  fair  rainbow!  bright  emblem  of  hope — as 
in  the  mist  of  I^^iagara  thou  welcomest  the  rising  sun  in  his 
resplendent  glory. 

M.Henderson. 

Janmry  IZ, '49,  <)i      ,   ,.  " 


ETERNAL— BEAUTIFUL^SERENE— SUBLIME. 

Eternal — prototype  of  God ! 

When  first  tbo  morning  stars  did  sing, 

And  the  all-glorious  sun  was  placed  ou  high; 

How  didst  thou  rear  thy  awful  crest 

At  His  own  bidding,  and  thy  thunders  spoke 

Of  the  creation  born — and  ever  onward 

Through  succesMvo  ages  still  is  thy  impetuous  course, 

Bespeaking  praise  to  Him,  thy  great  Creator: 

Lo,  the  poor  Indian  doth  bend  before  thee — 

And  in  thy  presence  feels  that  God  is  nigh  1 

And  the  Great  Spirit  near  him  to  protect: 

All  recognize  in  thee — power — greatness — vastness! 

Beautiful,  most  beautiful,  whether 

In  thy  murmuring  music 

Or  thy  reverberating,  echoing  thunders, 

And  thy  feathery  spray,  and  rainbows. 

Bespeaking  hope  and  faith;  >.  ,- 

And  as  thou  oasbcst  o'er  the  ledge.    . 

Behold  the  gorgeous  emerald  green,  '     ' 


^■^'<;4. 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


15 


Woven  through  with  silvery  thread— 
And  then  thy  milky  flood  below, 
And  eddies  and  o'erhanging  rocks, 
Call  forth  the  exclamation,  "beautiful." 

Serene — thou  art  and  in  thy  presence 
We  do  feel  sweet  peace  to  steal 
O'er  us,  and  that  the  soul  all  lost 
To  earth  and  all  around,  doth  wing 
Its  thoughts  to  other  scenes, 
And  we  do  dwell  afar  'mong  those 
Long  lost  and  dwellers  in  abetter  land. 
The  mind  is  lulled  to  a  repose 
And  we  feel 
Ready  to  lean  on  God  and  trust  in  Him. 

Sublime — surpassing  far  all  else 

Of  thy  own  nature — thou  art  monarch 

Over  all  and  doth  feel  thy  power — 

Who  shall  stop  thy  way, 

Or  say  unto  thy  floods,  flow  not  ? 

Thou  wouldst  dash  aside  the  net 

Woven  by  vain  man  to  hold  thee. 

And  rend  them  as  the  brittle  reed. 

I  have  paid  my  tribute  to  thee, 

And  now  will  I  repose — thou  hast  been 

To  me  a  lesson  deep  and  ineffaceable — 

And  I  leave  this  spot,  1  trust,  a  better  man. 

C.  W.  Rowland. 
PhUaddphia,  Aug.  %  1847. 


NIAGARA. 

Niagara,  I  love  to  hear  thy  voice, 

And  while  I  look  on  thy  array  of  waters 

Careering  onward  with  resistless  force, 

And  showing  forth  the  might  and  power  of  Him 

Who  ruleth  over  all — ^'tis  then  my  soul 

Is  filled  with  awe,  and  I  can  realize  '..      '.•: 

That  God  is  here,  that  he  is  present  now, 


:  \'^ 


19 


TABLE  BOCK  ALBUM. 


It 


Oh !  let  a  song  of  praise  ascend  to  Him 

Who  gives  us  all  things  richly  to  enjoy, 

And  while  we  gaze  upon  this  glorious  scene, 

Let  us  remember  thou  dost  shadow  forth 

The  glory  of  Omnipotence. 

Awe-struck  we  gaze  on  these  o'erhanging  rocks. 

And  mark  thy  waters  as  they  onward  flow, 

And  hear,  Niagara!  thy  unceasing  roar. 

We  watch  the  clouds  of  spray  as  they  ascend, 

And  view  the  bright  inimitable  green, 

Too  dazzling  to  the  eye,  and  then  we  feel 

That  scenes  like  these,  stupendous  and  sublime, 

Must  lose  their  greatness  when  compared  with  Him 

Whose  presence  fills  the  immensity;  then  while  'tis  ours 

To  gaze  upon  His  works,  may  we  be  led 

To  worship  and  adore ;  to  live  for  him. 

That  when  earth's  scenes  shall  fjiil  before  our  eyes, 

We  may  behold  more  glorious  worlds  above, 

And  through  the  sacritice  of  Him  who  gave 

His  life  for  fallen  man,  dwell  ever  more 

Where  love,  and  joy,  and  peace  forever  reign. 

Sarah  Pratt. 
Ifew  York,  Aufftut  12,  1847. 


Niagara — like  thy  Maker,  great. 


11 


LINES 

On  reading  that  the  only  words  spoken  by  the  young  lady  recently  killed  at  the 
Falls,  after  the  accident,  were — "  Let  me  " — 

"  Let  me, "  and  here  the  fast  receding  breath 
Denied  the  power  of  utterance — the  throb 
Of  that  young  heart  grew  faint.     Ah,  reckless  Death, 
.^  How  didst  thou  then  of  hope  surviving  bosoms  rob ! 

What  was  the  wish  thus  less  than  half  expressed, 
r  That  latest  image  of  the  aching  brain, 

a',-:       Imprisoned  in  the  fair  young  suflferer's  breast, 
/        .    Without  the  strength  to  burst  the  feeble  chain. 


^ 


C 

nati 
Po< 


» 


TABLE  ROCK    AI^UM. 


17 


Was  it  a  prayer  that  she  might  longer  live, 
Addressed  to  Him  who  holds  the  scroll  of  fate  ? 

Or  did  she  wish  a  parting  thought  to  give 

In  trust  to  those  that  watching,  round  her  wait! 

Some  fond  remembrance  of  her  distant  home, 
Where  late  perhaps  maternal  love  had  shed 

Its  hallowed  flame, — and  when  resolved  to  roam 
Had  breathed  a  farewell  blessing  on  her  head. 

Ah,  who  so  fitting  now  to  claim  her  thoughts, 
As  she  whose  hand  sustained  her  helpless  years  I 

Oh,  that  the  action  of  that  hand,  were  brought. 
To  wipe,  with  tender  care,  those  dying  tears. 

See,  in  this  theatre  of  nature's  might, 

In  boundless  strength  the  dashing  waters  rush, 

With  headlong  fury  acr  the  dizzy  height, 
And  threaten  e'en  the  solid  rock  to  crush. 


killed  At  the 


But  mark  the  contrast !     On  that  bed  of  pain 
The  form  reclines  of  nature's  noblest  art. 

Whose  strongest  energy  is  spent  in  vain. 
To  breathe  the  last  conception  of  her  heart 

Great  Ruler  of  the  destinies  of  Man ! 

Teach  us  to  reverence  thy  dark  decree ; 
Forgive  the  daring  murmur  at  thy  plan, 

And  make  us  yield  and  humbly  trust  to  thee. 

The  last  words  of  the  dying  girl  may  be 

The  first  to  form  the  Christian's  hopeful  prayer; 

Trusting  her  happy  spirit  is  with  thee ; 

He  cries,  "0  rather  *Let  me'  join  her  there." 


% 


0  thou,  Niagara!  no  Eloquence  can  set  forth  thy  own 
native,  untiring,  ceaseless  Eloquence — roll  on ! — And  you,  ye 
Poets,  stand  abashed,  n^r  dare  attempt  impossibilities. 

D. 


I 


I 


i 


18 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


BY  REQUEST. 

Niagara!  Monarch  of  earth's  wonders, — reflection  of  Al- 
mightiness, — in  thy  celestial  beauty,  and  thy  dread  magnif- 
icence, and  ceaseless  thunder  song — roll  on  thy  course — 
echoing  ever  the  nothingness  of  man — the  boundless  majesty 
of  God! 

T.  T.  Waterman. 

August  31,  1847. 


A  VOLUNTARY. 

One  would  think  that  emotions  of  sublimity  knocked  com- 
mon sense  into  "  pi  "  and  stirred  up  foaming  fancies  in  the 
intellect,  something  like  the  boiling  waters  in  this  double  and 
twisted  caldron  down  here;  after  looking  over  the  Albums 
around  here.  Why  the — Mammoth  Cave — don't  men  know 
what  they  are  going  to  write  before  they  begin,  and  say  it  so, 
they  and  some  others  know,  after  it  is  written. 

A  Kentuoeian. 


FAREWELL  I 

Thou  Lord  of  water  power — in  thy  Majestic  Glory — thou 
art  all  and  more  than  all  my  soul  conceived  thee, — I  never 
dreamed  thy  wonders  to  be  so  numberless  and  vast!  beauty 
in  union  with  grandeur — here  fill  and  elevate,  and  satisfy  my 
soul. 

September  1,  1847. 


While  standing  under  the  horse-shoe  Fall, 
Didn't  it  look  grand — and  you  feel  small? 

Thomas  A.  Dwyn,  Dublin^  Ireland. 


u  1 


ill 


Majestic  greatness  sits,  Niagara,  upon  thy  brow, 
And' o'er  thy  rocks  in  thundering  grandeur  roll; — 
We  gaze,  in  silent  wonder  wrapped  and  humbly  bow. 
To  thee,  0  God,  who  thus  doth  thrill  our  inmost  soul. 

B.  T.  ROMAINB  AND  LaDT. 
Albmy,  N.  r,  Sept.  30/A,  1847. 


TABLE   BOOK   ALBUM. 


10 


sction  of  Al- 

read  magnif-        Mingled 

hy  course — 

less  majesty 


ATBRMAN. 


This  is  but  the  breathings  of  the  great  "  I  Am!"    What 
"»ef 
mercy. 


anger  t 
"  with 


Boll  on,  thou  dark  green  flood,  roll  on ;  time  measurest  not 
thine  ngc— eternity  can  but  express  thy  end. — Creation's 
dawn  witnessed  thy  earliest  gush, — Creation's  doom  can  but 
extinguish — thy  perpetual  rush. 


ocked  com- 
cies  in  the 
double  and 

the  Albums 
men  know 

id  say  it  so, 

ITUCKIAN. 


Hory—thou 

e, — I  never 

ist!  beauty 

satisfy  my 


Ireland. 


DW, 

ml. 
'  Ladt. 


Oh!    God!!     Great  are  thy  works!     Oh!   Man!!      How 
Imall  are  thine,  when  placed  in  the  same  view. 

A.  COMSTOCK, 
Ju/,V  20th,  1847.  Sandwich  Islandt. 


The  Falls  of  "  Niagara"  far  surpass  any  natural  curiosity  in 
the  known  world.  No  human  eye  that  has  not  beheld  this 
cataract,  can  form  any  idea  of  its  greatness.  Like  all  tho 
works  of  God's  creation,  it  shows  forth  to  his  glory. 

Ward  Carpenter, 
Augiut  3J,  1847.  WestclusUr  Co.,  K  Y. 


Ni     ira — here  Nature  holds  its  sway, 
While  man,  with  both  delight  and  awe,  doth 
Gaae  and  wonder  at  its  magnificence. 


Boz. 


J  Niagara— each  hour,  each  hour — each  day,  each  day, 

The  rich,  the  poor,  the  gentle  pass  your  way ; 

The  tradesman  from  his  toil  released, 

jSeeks  beauties  that  our  God  decreed 

V£o  flow  from  Niagara ;  mighty  as  before, 
''ou  '11  live  for  ages,  when  ages  shall  be  no  more, 
fade  by  that  power,  that  power  that  man  can  ne'er  destroy, 

jOur  Lord,  our  everlasting  God,  from  all  eternity : 

jSteadfastly  you  stand  as  ever  seen  by  those, 

{That  thus  appreciate  the  works  which  God  bestows; 


20 


TAB^ft   ROOK   ALBC7M. 


Great,  beautiful  Falls!  you'll  continue  great. 
And  live  in  grandeur,  when  diflcrent  is  our  state, 
When  old  age  comes,  or  sad  despair, 
'Tis  thus  to  thee,  oh  God!  we'll  pour  our  prayer. 
Falls,  mighty  Falls,  aloft  with  moistened  eyes, 
I  send  my  humble  gratitude  with  tearful  sighs, 
To  God  who  ever  sends  us  hope  and  trust, 
Though  we  are  sinful  he  is  just; 
If  we  ask  pardon,  our  mighty  God  is  kind. 
And  gives  us  hope  in  prayer,  in  peace  of  mind. 
Niagara  Falls !  the  mighty  work  of  Qod, 
I  feel  how  great,  how  wondrous  is  our  Lord. 

Charlotte  6- 
Augiut  15,  1847 

No   man  should  ever   leave  this  great   display  of   Gk)d*s  I 
works,  without  entering  under  the  falls,  where  is  afforded  the 
most  sublime  of  the  grand  scenes  here  abounding.    There  h( 
can  sit  and  calmly  meditate,  shut  out  from  everything  but 
God  and  his  most  grand  work. 

An  Observer. 


ings  of 
le  ear 
gaze  u| 
andnl 


iy34. 


Let  not  vanity  and  presumption  attempt  a  task  too  great  for^^L.  ^e  * 
inspiration.  B. 


«* 


'T  was  great  to  speak  a  world  from  naught,  v| 

'T  was  greater  to  redeem.  •  '    "i 

T.  H.  Dashiell,  Baltimore.         I 


Mr  and  Mrs.  Stephen  B.  Sherwood,  and  company,  of  James- 
ville,  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  say : — "  We  have  visited  the 
'mighty  cataract,'  on  the  American  nnd  Canadian  shore,  and 
every  spot  of  interest  connected  with  both — l)ut  this  Musenm 
and  Camera  Obscura  is  truly  the  most  interesting  of  all ;  sit- 
uated, as  itJs,  with  «uch  a  fine  view  of  the  Falls,  I  trust  no 
American  will  leave  without  calling  here,  or  spending  a  day  at 
least  on  British  Soil"  * 

Sept.  a*,  1S41. 


TABLE  ROOK   ALBUM. 


21 


tate, 
yer. 


tings  of  the  earth  and  all  people ;  princes  and  all  judges 
Ihe  earth,  both  young  men  and  maidens,  can  ye  stand 
I  gaze  upon  the  mighty  flood  that  rolls  its  torrents  to  the 
I  and  not  "  Prabe  the  Lord." 

£.  £.  B. 


OTTB  B- 


play  of  God's 
18  afforded  the 
ng.  There  he 
verything  but 

Observkr. 


is  utterly  impossible  for  ani/  man  to  give  expression  to 

overwhelming  feeling  he  experiences  on  beholding  this 

^lay  of  the  Great  Creator's  works.    Here  is  manifested  on 

linute  scale,  the  glory  of  "  him  who  holds  the  sea  in  tho 

low  of  his  hand."    This  roar  of  Niagara  is  but  a  song  of 

se  to  the  Almighty  God. 

R.  H.  Ball,  Baltimore,  M<L 
iy  34, 1847. 


I  came  from  Wall  street, 
To  see  this  water  sheet; 
Having  seen  this  water  sheet, 
I  return  to  Wall  street 


/y  24, 1647. 


Bryant. 


k  too  great  for   ^^^S^^  ^^^'^  ^^  *  stereotype  proof  sheet  of  the  Omnipo- 
jg      Hf^®  ^^  ^^^  Almighty. 

James  T.  Frazee,  of  Glasgow,  Scotland, 

fnow  of  Wootter,  Ohio. 
• 

n  >..  I  Boast  not  thy  greatness,  Yankees  tall 

sfattimore.        I  fpj,jr  p^j^  q^^  arrogance  my  catch  a  fall. 


y»  of  James- 
3  visited  the 
»  shore,  and 
his  Museum 
:  of  all;  sit- 
;  I  trust  no 
inga  dajat 


To  view  Niagara  Falls  one  day, 

A  parson  and  a  tailor  took  their  way ; 

The  parson  cried  whilst  wrapped  in  wonder. 

And  listening  to  the  cataract^  thunder, 

Lord !  how  thy  works  amaze  our  eyes, 

And  fill  our  hearts  with  vast  surpnse : —       < 

The  tailor  merely  made  this  note-^ 

Lord !  what  a  place  to  sponge  a  coat !! . 


■^ 


m 


JO;. 


HI 


ill! 


h/;' 


iM' 


N|!H: 


* 


22  TABLE  BOOK  ALBmC. 

Visitors,  whene'er  you  wish 

To  feast  on  poultry,  flesh  and  fish, 

And  right  good  wine, 
Leave  your  fare  across  the  river. 
And  like  a  hearty  right  good  liver, 

At  the  PaviUion  dine. 


I 


Since  first  I  saw  thee  thundering  on 
There's  nothing  of  thy  beauty  gone, 
And  though  three  years  have  passed  away, 
Thou  thunderest  on  with  all  thy  spray. 

Charlotte  Blanche  Malcoul 


1847. 


Spirit  of  Homer !     Thou  whose  song  has  rung 
From  thine  own  Greece  to  this  supreme  abode 
Of  nature — ^this  great  fane  of  Nature's  God, 

Breathe  on  my  heart — oh !  touch  the  fervid  tongue 
Of  a  fond  votaress  kneeling  on  thy  sod. 

Sublime  and  beautiful !  your  shrine  is  here — 

Here  'neath  the  azure  dome  of  heaven  you're  wed- 
Here  on  a  rock  that  trembles  o'er  your  bed. 

Your  blended  sorcery  claims  both  pulse  and  tear. 
Controls  life's  source,  and  reigns  o'er  heart  and  head. 

Terrific,  but  0 !  beautiful  abyss ! 

If  I  should  trust  my  fascinated  eye,  . 

Or  listen  to  thy  maddening  melody. 
Sense,  form,  would  spring  to  meet  thy  white  foam's  kiss — 

Be  lapped  in  thj^  soft  rainbow  once,  and  die. 

Color,  depth,  height,  extension,  all  unite 
To  chain  the  spirit  by  a  look  intense. 
To  dolphin  in  his  clearest  seas,  or  thence 


Loo 
A 
F( 

He 
R( 

"Nij 
A 
0 

O'er 
A 


The 
it  the; 


iitte( 
bautii 
Ipal  a 
\e  ide 
th( 

It  So 


it 


TABLR  BOOK  ALBUM. 


23 


Ta'en  by  some  prince  to  give  his  love  delight, 
Dies  not  in  changeful  tints  more  delicately  bright*' 

Look,  look!  there  comes  o'er  yon  pale  green  expanse,  ^ 

Beyond  the  curtain  of  this  altar  vast, 
A  glad  young  swan — the  smiling  beams  that  cast 

Light  from  her  plumes,  have  lured  her  soft  advance — 
She  nears  the  fatal  brink — her  graceful  life  is  past. 

Look  up ;  nor  her  fond  foolish  fate  disdain — 
An  eagle  rests  upon  the  wind's  sweet  breath : 
Feels  he  the  charm  ?  woos  ho  the  scene  beneath  ? 

He  eyes  the  sun,  nerves  his  dark  wing  again, 
Bemembers  clouds  and  storms,  and  flies  the  lovely  death. 

"Niagara!  wonder  of  this  western  world, 

And  all  the  world  beside — hail,  beauteous  Queen 
Of  cataracts ! "  an  angel  who  had  been 

O'er  heaven  and  earth  thus  said ;  his  bright  wings  furled, 
And  knelt  to  Nature  first  on  this  wild  cliff  unseen. 

Maria  del  Occidente. 


The  Yankees  generally  take,  and  keep  too,  whatever  they 
bt  their  hearts  upon  having. 

One  of  Them. 


Great  spirit  of  the  waters !  I  have  come 
From  forth  mine  own  indomitable  home,f 
Far  o'er  the  billows  of  the  eternal  sea, 
To  breathe  my  heart's  deep  homage  unto  thee, 
And  gaze  on  glories  that  might  wake  to  prayer 


[•When  these  lines  were  written  in  tha  Album,  the  fourth  stanza  was 
litted,  lest  it  might  occasion  some  confunion  of  imagery;  but  the 
bautiful  tints  reflected  by  the  water  of  tho  cataract  are  one  of  its  prin- 
Ipal  attractions,  and  so  exactly  rosoniMod  those  of  tho  dolphin,  that 
|e  idea  of  one  was  continually  in  tho  mind  of  the  writer,  while  view- 
the  scene  from  the  Table  Kock. 

If  Scotland. 


f 


24 


f -1 


TABIJS  BOCK  ALBUM. 


.1    J 


All  but  the  hopeless  victim  of  despair. 
Flood  of  the  forest,  fearfully  sublime. 
Restless,  resistless  as  the  tide  of  time, 
*       There  is  no  type  of  thee — thou  art  alone, 
In  sleepless  glory,  rushjng  on  and  on. 
Flood  of  the  desert!  thou  hast  been  to  me 
A  dream ;  and  thou  art  still  a  mystery. 
Would  I  had  seen  thee,  years  and  years  agone. 
While  thou  wert  yet  unworshiped  and  unknown, 
And  thy  fierce  torrent,  as  it  rushed  along, 
Through  the  wild  desert  poured  its  booming  song, 
Unheard  by  all  save  him  of  lordly  mood — 
The  bronzed  and  free-born  native  of  the  wood. 
How  would  my  heart  have  quivered  to  its  cor«, 
To  know  its  God,  not  all  revealed  before ! 
In  other  times  when  I  was  wont  to  roam 
Around  the  mist-robed  mountain  peaks  of  home 
My  fancy  wandered  to  this  Western  clime,  . 
Where  all  the  haunts  of  nature  are  sublime ; 
And  thou  wert  on  my  dream  so  dread  a  thing, 
I  trembled  at  my  own  imagining. 
Flood  of  the  forest !  I  have  been  with  thee, 
And  still  thou  art  a  mystery  to  me. 
Years  will  roll  on  as  they  have  rolled,  and  thou 
Wilt  speak  in  thunder  as  thou  speakest  now; 
And  when  the  name  that  I  inscribe  to-day 
Upon  thine  altar  shall  have  passed  away 
From  all  remembrance,  and  the  lay  I  sing 
Shall  long  have  been  but  a  forgotten  thing — 
Thou  wilt  be  sung,  and  other  hands  than  mine 
Shall  wreathe  a  worthier  chaplet  for  thy  shrine. 

George  Menzies. 
Jugust,  1835. 


Mighty  water!  headlong  tumbling 
Down  the  vast  abyss  below, 
Ceasless  pouring,  endless  roaring 
Music  like  this — semper  amo. 


C.  W.  Wilson,  Buffalo. 


le, 


me 


m 


s  agone, 
iinknown, 

ming  song, 

3  wood, 
its  core, 
e! 

of  home 
ne,  . 
lime ; 
I  thing, 

;hee, 

,nd  thou 
now; 
iay 
r 

ng 

ing— ■ 
an  mine 
f  shrine. 

IGE  MeNZIES. 


•■;  •- 


TABLE   ROOK   ALBUM. 


25 


God  spake  the  world  into  being,  and  it  was  created.    Ha 
nade  idl  the  wonders  of  the  earth,  and  this  the  greatest  of  all 

A.  P.  M. 


To  hear  this  water  roar, 
To  see  this  water  pour, 
Is  certainly  much  more, 
Than  I've  heard  or  seen  before. 


To  hear  a  jackass  bray 
Is  nothing  new  to-day — 
You  can  neither  sing  nor  say  j 
So  you  may  go  away. 


H.  FOOTE. 


A.  Lego,  h 


You  had  better  toddle  too, 

For  you're  blockheads  through  and  through — 

Ton  my  honor,  it  is  true — 

Cock-a-doodle-doo. 

Francis  Head. 

Good  morning,  how  d'ye  do? 
How  much  wiser,  pray,  are  you. 
Than  the  other  stupid  two  ? 
Tell  me  that  and  tell  me  true. 

Durham. 


SON,  Buffalo. 


Roll  on,  Niagara,  as  thou  hast  ever  rolled, 
Since  thy  great  Maker  called  thee  into  being ; 
But  wilt  thou  never  stop  ?     O,  yes,  thou  wilt, 
When  the  great  Archangel  sounds  the  final  trump- 
One  foot  upon  the  sea,  and  one  on  shore — 
And  swears  that  time  shall  be  no  more  forever ; 
The  thundering  sound  that  swells  upon  our  ears, 
"V^l  then  be  silenced,  and  the  mighty  flood, 

a 


26 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


That  pours  itself  o'er  the  tremendous  precipice, 
Will  cease  to  be. — There  is  but  One  alone — 
The  first,  last,  ever-living  Trinity, 
That  can  control  thee  whensoe'er  he  will. 


Zansingburgh,  JV.  F. 


H.    B.   TUTTLE. 


I 


Mem. — This  atmosphere  is  terribly  destructive  to  starched    | 
collars,  and  takes  the  curls  out  of  one's  whiskers  with  amaz- 
ing celerity. 

Charles  Augustus  Mandeville. 

The  pretty  creature! — It  should  have  put  itself,  whiskers 
and  all,  into  a  band  box. 

Should'nt  It. 


Vent,  vidi,  and  gave  up  the  vici. 

Julius  CiESAu  Redivivus. 


The  mighty  cataract  of  Niagara  rushing  over  the  rocks, 
and  the  deep  waters  of  the  Mississippi  rolling  onward  to  the 
ocean,  are  everlasting  evidences  of  the  prowess  and  efficiency 
of  the  American  Militia/ 

his 
Andrew  M  Jackson 
mark. 


* 


Farewell,  0  Niagara!  rolling  in  splendor, 
Thy  beauty  is  matchless,  thy  power  is  supreme; 

And  now,  ere  I  leave  thee,  my  homage  I  render- 
To  return  to  the  world  I  must  rouse  from  my  dream. 


♦ 


recipice, 

ONE — 


I. 

H.    B.   TUTTLB, 


ctive  to  starched 
skers  with  amaz- 

Mandeville. 


;  itself,  whiskers 
?hould'nt  It. 


11  Redivivus. 


over  the  rocks, 

onward  to  the 

s  and  efficiency 

his 

M  Jackson 
aark. 


jpreme ; 
nder — 
my  dream. 


TABLE  BOCK  ALBUM. 


27 


In  a  trance  I  have  been,  while  sublimest  emotions 
Have  crowded  the  chambers  of  soul  and  of  thought; 

But  my  dreams  of  delight  and  my  deepest  devotions 
Are  faded  away — there  's  a  hole  in  my  coat! 


Now,  I  '11  tell  you  what  it  is — these  here  water  works  ain't 

pothin'  what  they  are  cracked  up  to  be — be  they  ?     They  're 

a  downright  imposition — that 's  a  fact.    They  're  amazin'  nice 

and  sublime  and  roarin'  sure  enough ;   but  what  on  airth  be 

[they  good  for  ?     As  our  schoolmaster,  Job  Diddler,  (he  'd  an 

lawful  sight  of  larnin', — had  n't  he  ?) — well,  as  Job  Diddler 

[used  to  say,  ^^Fox  eat  Peter  JVichol"* — great  cry  and  little 

wool.     They  ain't  good  for  nothin'  for  manufacturin' ;    and 

thev  completely  spile  navigation — that 's  a  fact. 

Sam  Slick,  Jun. 


Hark,  hark !  't  is  Niagara's  mighty  roar. 

As  o'er  the  ledge  St.  Lawrence*  waters  pour. 

Father  Omnipotent!  in  this  we  see 

An  emblem  tit  of  vast  eternity ; 

As  downwards  in  their  course  the  waters  flow. 

And  then  are  lost  in  the  abyss  below, 

So  haste  thy  creatures  onward  to  that  bourne 

From  whence  no  travelers  shall  e'er  return. 


Roll  on  great  River,  with  resistless  force, 

Which,  like  old  Time,  stays  not  for  human  will ; 
For  who  shall  stop  him  in  his  viewless  course. 
Or  who  shall  bid  thy  mighty  voice  be  still  ? 
None  but  the  power  that  taught  ye  both  to  flee. 
Thou  to  thy  misty  gulf  of  clouds,  while  he 
Rolls  likewise  onward,  changing  all  but  thee — 
So  both  shall  stop  but  in  eternity. 

Thj/  couree  is  onward,  downward,  free  and  loud, 
While  his  is  silent,  dim,  but  no  less  sure. 

JHe  creeps  along,  scarce  noticed  by  the  crowd, 
Whilst  thou  dost  stun  the  senses  with  the  roar 

*  Vox  et  pretera  nihil. 


'I'AIJLE  BOCK   -ALBUM. 


Of  thy  tr(Mn<MJ(lou»  cataracts,  which  call 
Each  to  i\w  ulhv.rH,  and  all  ears  appal; 
Leaping  in  tliundor  from  the  rocky  wall, 
And,  like  a  licro,  jreatcst  in  its  fall. 


Hknrt  Lindsat. 


i*. 


NIAOAHA  TO  ITS  VISITORS. 

0  ye,  wlio  coma  from  distant  climes, 
To  visit  mo  and  read  my  rhymes, 

Kre  you  condemn  ray  noise  and  vapor, 
J^cau  what  I  Imvc  to  say  on  paper. 
Throujf^li  Lakk  Supkriob,  it  true  is, 

1  descend  from  old  St.  Louis. 

I  'm  a  wise  child,  you  see,  and  rather 

Proud  to  know  and  own  my  father. 

Michigan  nurH6«  me  in  her  lap ; 

Huron  feedn  with  Saginaw  pap; 

St.  Clair  then  undertakes  to  teach, 

And  tries  to  modulate  my  speech. 

Through  Erie  next  I  guide  my  stream, 

And  learn  the  power  and  use  of  steam. 

I  'm  christened  next,  but  losing  my  humble- 

Nc88, 1  get  an  awkward  tumble. 

And  though  musicians  all  agree, 

I  pitch  my  loud  outcry  on  ^, 

Sure  two  such  tumbles  well  may  vex. 

And  make  mo  froth  up  Double  X. 

Although  the  Hapids  rather  flurry  me, 

And  inU)  wluMjling  whirlpools  hurry  me. 

The  Devil's  Hole  does  most  me  scare,  I  oh/ 

And  makes  mo  glad  to  reach  Ontario. 

Traveled  so  far  't  is  thought  of  vital 

Importance  I  should  change  my  title ; 

And  though  it  should  be  his  abhorrence, 

They  make  my  sponsor  old  St.  Lawrence. 

The  course  I  steer  is  rather  critical, 

For,  not  much  liking  rows  political, 

'Twixt  both  my  favors  I  divide —  ,  * 

Yankee  and  British,  on  each  side. 

And  wandering  'raongst  the  "Thousand  Isles," 


TABLE  ROCK   AI.BUM. 

With  equable  and  constant  motion, 

I  gladly  run  to  meet  the  oceiin. 

Once  my  deep  cavt;rn  was  a  mystery, 

But  now  'tis  known  like  Tom  Thumb's  history, 

By  ladies,  gents,  natives  and  strangers. 

Led  on  by  Barnett  through  my  dangers, 

And  come  to  try  my  "cold  without;" 

While  those  who  like  it  best  can  get 

A  good  supply  of  "heavy  wet." 

I  fear  no  money-brokers'  pranks — 

They  're  welcome  to  run  on  my  hanks, 

I  pay  no  money  nor  "mint  drop," 

Yet  dare  them  all  to  make  me  sto}). 

I  'm  proof  against  malignant  shafts; 

Am  ready  still  to  honor  drafts; 

Have  a  large  capital  afloat,  / 

More  current  than  a  IJ .  S.  note ; 

And  I  can  liquidate  all  debt, 

Though  much  is  dew  from  me ;  and  yet, 

About  myself  I  often  vapor — 

But  ne'er  before  have  issued  paper. 

You  may  think  this  a  brag  or  a 

Boast  of  Truly  Yours,         Niagara. 


29 


Falls  Hall  Cave,  half  past  11,  ? 
July  25th,  1837.  5 


H.  LlNDSAT. 


Here  may  each  traveler  behold 
The  name  of  friends  belov'd  of  old. 
Whate'er  the  clime  from  whence  he  came, 
Still  will  he  find  some  well-known  name, 
To  call  to  mind  departed  hours. 
When  friendship  strewed  his  way  with  flowers. 
Or*youthful  love,  with  sun-lit  eye, 
Look'd  down  to  bless  him  with  a  sigh : 
And  fancy,  fired,  will  plume  her  wings, 
—For  eagle  flight  to  fairy  spheres. 
While  memory,  pleased,  enraptured,  clings 
To  each  loved  name,  with  smiles  and  tears. 

D.  C.  M. 


30 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 

These  are  the  great  Niagara  Falls, 
Down  which  Sam  Patch  did  jump ; 
The  people  said  he  'd  break  his  neck — 
He  onlv  hurt  his  rump ! 

The  General. 

_ 0 

Fair  Albion,  smiling,  sees  her  sons  depart 

To  trace  the  birth  and  nursery  of  art. 

Noble  their  object,  glorious  are  their  aims. 

They  go  behind  the  Falls — and  write  their  names! 


WRITTEN    DIRECTLY   AFTER   GOING   " WITHIN    THE    VEIL"    OP 

NIAGARA. 
By  Grenville  Mellen. 

0  God ! — my  prayer  is  to  Thee,  amid  sounds 
That  rock  the  world — I  've  seen  Thy  majesty 
Within  the  veil — I  *ve  heard  the  anthem-shout 
.    Of  a  great  ocean,  as  it  leapt  in  mist 

About  my  thunder- shaken  path — Thy  voice 
As  centuries  have  heard  it,  in  the  rush 
And  roar  of  waters.     I  have  bent  my  brow 
Beneath  Thy  rainbow,  and  have  lifted  up 
My  shriek  'midst  these  vast  cadences — I  Ve  seen 
"What  is  the  wonder  of  Eternity, 
And  what  this  visioned  nothingness  of  man. 
Table  Hock,  August  22,  1838. 


Can  man  stop  yonder  cataract  in  its  course  ? 
Can  man  trace  up  the  Almighty  to  his  source  ?  * 
And  cannot  man  in  yonder  torrent  see 
A  striking  emblem  of  eternity  ? 


Streams,  rivers,  lakes,  are  buried  in  thy  flood, 
And  thy  green  waters  have  been  tinged  with  blood, 
Yet  comes  the  day  when  swallowed  thou  wilt  be 
In  the  vast  ocean  of  eternity.       ■.      - 

*  This  line  is  unmitigated  nonsense. 


THE    VEIL"   OP 


I 


TABLE  BOCK   ALBUM. 


With  colors  brilliant,  arcn— so  bright  its  rays, 
Thy  beauteous  Rainbow  to  frail  man  displays — 
That  wondrous  bow  which  at  God's  word  appeared, 
When  Noah,  worshiping,  rejoiced  and  feared, 
And  saw,  by  faith,  it  was  the  covenant  given, 
That  man  should  be  restored — the  heir  of  heaven. 


81 


Then  roll,  thou  mighty  torrent ;  sound  thy  thunder, 
Dash  down  thy  fl-^ods  to  wondering  man  a  wonder, 
Till  forth  shall  sound  than  theirs  a  louder  voice, 
To  bid  creation  tremble  or  rejoice — 
Then  shall  thy  thundering  and  thy  rolling  end, 
And  God  descend,  man^s  angry  Judge  or  friend — 
Then  shall  evaporate  thy  mighty  Fall, 
Midst  burning  Avorlds,  and  God  be  all  in  all. 

J.  E. 

Saiidvdch,  U.  C, 


This  is  the  cataract  whose  deathless  name 
Lives  in  itself — it  hath  no  need  of  fame. 
It  is  itself  eternal.    Look  and  trace 
"Dar'st  thou  forget  me,"  written  in  his  face. 
'Tis  its  own*record — 'tis  the  living  throne 
Of  independence,  rolling,  rolling  on — 
Spurning  alike  resistance  and  control, 
And  breathing  terror  on  the  human  soul. 

G.J.K 


If  a  fellow  should  slide  down  from  off  a  rJippery  stick, 
'T  would  be  worse  nor  any  Cat-a-lip-tic ; 
And  if  he  should  go  blind,  't  is  a  plain  fact, 
'twould  be  a  cataract. 


From  view-ing 


"Pro-di-gi-ous!"  as  Mr.  Shaw  says,  (quoting  from  Dominie 
Sampson.)  Sublime !  says  Mr.  Taylor,  the  second  of  our  party. 
The  grandeur  is  inexpressible,  according  to  Mr.  Hastings.  Mr. 
Harmon  observed,  that  it  exceeded  his  most  sanguine  expecta- 
tions. 

E.  G.  D.  thinks  it  the  best  "got  up"  thing  he  ever  saw. 

Very  queer !  as  the  apostle  elegantly  remarks  in  the  original 
tongue.  0.  P.  Q. 


I 


I. 


1    f 


•  82 

^ABtlfl  ROCK   ALBUM 

^/«"r  pale  fathers  tZthosJl  T-f  i^^'  ^^*' 
M  rings  far  up  to  heaven  X  ''^'^^^^'^ 

^«^  -,]]  it  eease  t,]]  !)Le   Ltb,T"  ''''^'^^ 

*"  De  no  more.  ^ 

l'k«  a  mad  ocean  heav«T"„  "™''«<'  ^f". 

^  "^  gleam  «.«,„/r  -^y- if, e.    *'»'«<• 

"^^uigatofyoursoul.** 

taagi?aS.,'?„  t'L^PT'  description     Tl,„ 

f  e»e  more'ench^titirh  "^.^7  W",  ^uld  t*""*^'-  "'"'^ 
e«iy  rock  apnea™  „r''^  beautiful.    Ererv T!„       P"""'^  a 

ver;  and  the  Sf„„  Tj*  ''"  «°  outer  Jbe";'  7"^  «'"•'•'>. 
da«t  from  tbrtrTef^/'t^  sun's  rays  fh"th  ,.«''-"?"»S  * 
•»  possible  to  T^  .presents  the  most  i!«„    ?    ""'  'o'o'es  pen- 

--werto'te:tfhffi?^  1^^^ 

"7  ineir  fail,  the  cataract 


'(K/f 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


88 


dnrting  over  head  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  the  sulphur- 
ous smell,  and  the  boiling  and  writhing  of  the  gulf  below — all 
tend  to  make  us  fancy  that  we  are  in  one  of  those  enchanted 
mansions  of  which  we  have  read  in  our  childhood,  luid  tc 
which  the  imagination  of  our  mature  years  has  often  returned 
with  pleasing  regret. 

J.  S. 


Roll  on,  Niagara ! — amid  thy  roar, 
*     There  is  a  voice  that  whispers  me ; 
And  breathes  into  my  startled  ear 
One  lone,  wild  word — Eternity. 


To  the  host  of  poetasters,  who  write  in  these  books,  I  would 
Bay  in  the  words  of  some  "Great  Unknown:" — 

"  Chop  wood,  ye  boobies,  make  the  anvil  ring, 
Dig  mvidjpick  oakum — any  thing  but  sinff.^* 


# 


G.  S. 

G.  S.  is  wise  and  shows  himself 

One  of  that  precious  clan ; 
Turn  round,  G.  S.,  and  show  tnyself — 

Let's  see  if  you're  a  man. 
I  doubt  it;  then  still,  ** Booby,"  be 
Thy  name  enwrapped  in  mystery. 

Zip  Coon. 


Not  in  the  forest  vast,  when  winds  awake, 

With  giant  energies  and  mighty  power — 

Not  on  the  boundless  deep  when  storms  arise, 

And  tempests  loudly  roar,  is  nature  seen 

In  grandest  garb  arrayed — but  where  Niagara's 

Thundering  voice  is  heard,  and  where  her  waves, 

In  angiy  majesty  are  seen  to  pour; 

Then  doth  she  wear  a  garb  that  Avins  from  man 

The  incense  of  his  wonder,  awe  and  praise. 

E.  S.  Smith. 


\       


':§§.  TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 

I  have  looked  on  thcc,  thou  mighty  Cntaract,  and  think  thoa 
are  the  greatest  coffee-pot  in  these  here  parts. 

J.  E.  Wharton. 


I  guess  all  natur'  is  going  to  wash  out  to-day ;  for  how  that 
'ere  big  kettle  bilea. 

John  DowNiNa. 


!      i 


Yes,  traveler,  go  under; 
And  amidst  the  wild  thunder, 
The  spray  and  the  dashing, 
The  stones  and  the  crashing. 
Turn  not  on  one  side, 
But  cling  to  the  guide — 
He's  safe  the'  he's  black. 
N.  B. — Pay  when  you  come  back. 


Zaney. 


N.  B. — On  the  27th  of  August,  1836,  a  large  green  pea 
went  over  the  Falls,  and  made  a  great  noise  in  falling. 

I  SAW  IT. 


B.  D.  Jones  has  this  day  done — 
"What  can't  be  said  by  every  one, 
Has  gone  as  far  as  man  can  go. 
As  his  certificate  will  show — 
And  counsels  all  who  value  fame. 
Immediately  to  do  the  same. 


In  after  years  when  memory  comes, 
To  cheer  us  in  our  happy  homes,     , 
A  voice^  amid  the  socitU  cheer. 
Shall  speak  of  what  we  witnessed  here. 


J.  E.  Wharton. 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 

Those  that  we  love  are  with  us  now, 
With  happy  heart  and  youthful  brow. 
Heaven  grant  their  lot  in  life  may  bo 
An  all  unclouded  destiny. 
When  fancy  brings  us  back  this  day, 
Perchance  we  '11  think,  where,  where  are  they  f 
No  time,  no  chance,  nor  change  can  sever. 
The  links  that  bind  our  hearts  forever. 

Robert. 


Well  now,  I  du  calculate  them  Falls  is  a  decided  failure.- 
They  ort  to  run  up  stream. 

Joel. 


"  What  a  sight  of  water  is  here,  Sammy,"  said  the  elder 
Mr.  Weller,  as,  leaning  against  the  rail,  he  looked  hard  at 
the  rushing  cataract.  "  I  think  it  must  soon  run  itself  out  of 
breath — must  soon  pull  up,  Sammy."  "  Why,  yes,  father," 
replied  the  junior,  taking  off  his  white  tile,  and  stroking  down 
his  smooth  hair,  '*  it  runs  almost  as  hard  and  as  loud  as  mother- 
in-law's  tongue."  "  True,  Samivel,"  rejoined  the  elder,  and 
turning  to  Mr.  Pickwick,  continued,  "you  know,  sir,  as  how  I 
married  a  viddy."  That  benevolent  gentleman  nodded  his 
head  a<%uescingly,  and  after  looking  significantly  around, 
said,  "  Come,  dinner's  ready ! " 


VERSES,  ; 

WBITTEN   AT   THE  TABLE   ROOK   DUBIXO  A  THUNDER  8T0SH. 

Niagara,  Niagara,  careering  in  its  might. 
The  fierce  and  free  Niagara  shall  be  my  theme  to-night. 
A  glorious  theme,  a  glorious  hour,  Niagara,  are  mine — 
Heaven's  fire  is  on  thy  flashing  wave,  its  thunder  blends  with 

thine. 
The  clouds  are  bursting  fearfully,  the  rocks  beneath  me  quivefi 
I  But  thou,  unscathed,  art  hun-ying  on  forever  and  forever. 


36 


'i,   i   :i 


i:'    M       i 


VM    I 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUif. 


«        pars  touch  thee  not,  NiVara     fi, 

AndstiU  thesame  deep  r^nd^  ^v f , " '^^^^^^^  ^^S. 

There  is  a  chainless  spirit  here  whL  I     ^^™"  ^^'^^s  aW  ^' 

Awakening-  thoughts'  in  huLt  he^fj^ ^°  ^^%"»^7  ^acl, 

Thi.  '  .u  'P?^'^'  ^^^P  ^""^  human  ' 

"PI.  J      .""y  ">«'  ^  '  "''"'««••  lis  lot  I 

^'^<'eep,,.Ht.eno.B.Wehaeheh.hbeo„^«.«.,,    ^ 
<?/«>;xfwa,  ^«^^^  1834  ^^ORQE  Menzibs. 

J!  '      .  "" 

— , South  West. 

Nature  is  ^Uehangeiess.    We  are  b»t  shadows. 

^nangeless  peonle  ar^  tt 

At^^'fei«-£rarep.„,     , 


changeless  thinff 
"1  waters  sing. 

10  eye  maj  reach, 
<ieep  for  human 

I  to  forget 
md  regret; 
Jr  or  twain,         , 
iathbeen  again?! 
«^hate'er  his  lot 

•een  with  thee, 
tan  Menzibs. 


sheets 


n 


UTH  West. 


Vew  York. 


TABLE   BOOK  ALBUM. 

We  are  here  to-day,  and  gone  to-morrow. 


87 


W.  M. 


Well,  why  don't  you  stop  a  week  at  the  hotel  ?    The  beds 
and  grub  are  good. 

£.  B. 


Yes,  but  devilish  dear. 


C.  C. 


When  God  went  forth  in  the  work  of  creation,  attended  by 
a  shining  array  of  Cherubim  and  Seraphim,  these  "  living  ones  " 
veiled  their  faces  and  said,  "  God  of  Glory,  stay  thy  hand,  or 
we  die!"  "One  work  more,"  said  the  Almighty,  "and  inani- 
mate creation  is  complete."  He  spake  and  the  mountains 
started  back,  and  Ocean  heaved  affrighted  as  Niagara  sprang 
into  birth.  C.  A.  H. 


SACRED  MUSINGS. 

BT  BEV.  JOBV  nOWLINO,  Of   PUOVIDBNOE,  9.   I. 

Niagara !  thy  mighty  voice  hath  waked 

The  slumb'ring  lancy ;  and  the  beams  which  from 

Thy  crested  bosom  dart,  kindle  again 

The  smothered  flame  of  wild  poetic  fire, 

Which  in  the  days  of  youthful  ardor  burn'd 

Within  my  breast 

Yet  hard  the  task 
To  sing  thy  wonders !     Laboring  fancy  reels ! 
Thoug-ht  staggers  with  amazement,  and  in  vain 
Essays  to  grasp  thy  vast  sublimities! 
Yet  though  the  hand  which  feebly  touch'd  the  lyre 
To  sing  thy  wonders,  palsied  is  still. 
Yet  may  I  tell  the  sweet  and  holy  thoughts 
Which  crowd  upon  my  brain,  as  on  the  rocks 
I  stand,  and  gaze  upon  thy  face.     Thoughts,  which 
The  love-tun'd  harp  of  Zion  woke,  and  even 
Thy  thunders  cannot  hush.    I  gaze  upon 
Thy  waters  as  they  leap,  foaming  with  wrath, 
From  rock  to  rock,  till  vaHt  and  vehement, 


!    W 


t  r 


88 


.^w.'i. 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


The  mighty  torrent  with  resistless  force 

Tumbles  into  the  gulf;  and  as  I  gaze, 

1  think  upon  the  awful  flood  of  wrath 

Due  to  the  sins  of  vile  apostate  man, 

Which  dashed  upon  the  meek  and  holy  ONE, 

And  wrung  the  bitter  cry — "My  God,  my  God, 

0  why  dost  thou  forsake  me  ? " 

I  behold 
The  beauteous  bow  which  spans  the  roaring  gulf, 
And  thoughts  of  melting  tenderness  come  o'er  my  soul! 
The  bow,  the  heavenly  bow  of  peace  and  love 
Which  spann'd  mount  Calvary  when  Jesus  died  I 
The  eye  of  faith  turns  from  the  scenes  of  earth, 
.And  sees — 0  love  divine ! — the  wondrous  words, 
Inscrib'd  by  God's  own  hand  upon  that  bow — 
"Peace,  peace  on  earth,"  since  Christ  the  ransom,  died. 

1  stand  upon  the  rock !  here  am  I  safe ! — 
Thus  may  I  ever  stand  on  HIM,  the,  BOCK 
Of  everlasting  ages. 

Thus  secure  from  hann, 
As  on  this  solid  rock,  contemplate 
That  overwhelming  Cataract  of  wrath,  r 
Which  on  my  Saviour  pour'd  to  rescue  me.  , 

Thus  may  I  gaze  upon  the  bow  of  mercy. 
Read  its  bright  lines,  and  wonder  and  adore ; 
And  as  I  gaze,  in  yon  bless'd  woi'ld  forever, 
Thiis  sweetly  may  the  fountains  of  my  soul, 
Be  broken  up ;  and  tears,  luxurious  tears. 
Of  joy  and  gratitude  forever  flow. 


Oh  I  not  to  sing  presumptuous  praise, 
In  studied  words  and  measured  lays, 

This  scene  survey — 
Omnipotence  is  imaged  here. 
Let  vainer  homage  disappear, 

And  kneel  and  pray. 


R.O. 


.^ 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


39 


■God, 


r  my  soul  I 


Niagara's  mighty  waters,  rushing  by, 

That  stun  the  sense,  and  yet  delight  the  eye, 

Whose  breakers  dathing  on  the  rugged  rock, 

With  thundering  uproar,  and  with  deafening  shock. 

Awaken  feelings  never  known  before, 

And  fill  the  memory  with  an  endless  store  ^. 

Of  fancies  and  of  thoughts  that  ne'er  can  die, 

But  treasured  in  the  heart  forever  lie. 

The  white  foam  dancing  and  the  clouds  of  spray 

That  boil  beneath  me  and  around  me  play. 

The  circling  rainbows  with  their  vivid  dyes, 

Like  fairy  forms  from  out  the  waters  rise, 

Deck'd  with  those  tints,  so  pure  and  all  so  bright. 

They  seem  like  rays  of  heaven's  own  hallowed  light ; 

All,  all  unveil,  and  place  within  my  sight 

The  great  Creator  in  his  matchless  might. 

T.  S.,  Ju7u 


The  most  insignificant  plant,  the  minutest  insect,  the  small- 
est drop  of  water,  when  examined  through  the  medium  of  a 
microscope,  proves  beyond  a  doubt,  to  any  reasoning  mind,  the 
existence  of  an  almighty  creating  and  sustaining  Power — 
must  then  the  circumstance  of  a  large  body  of  water  rushing 
down  an  inclined  plane,  and  over  a  precipice  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  height,  urged  merely  by  the  universal  power 
of  gi-avitation,  be  selected  as  the  most  striking  demonstration 
of  the  greatness  of  the  Almighty  ? 

Snooks. 


The  most  stupendous  work  of  Nature !  The  mountains, 
oceans,  lakes  and  cataracts,  are  great  specimens  of  the  magrdf- 
icerice  of  God's  works;  but  here  his  beneficence  is  also  iudica- 
teu,  by  the  perpetual  rainbow.  What  mind  is  not  enlarged, 
what  soul  not  filled  with  ennobling  emotions,  by  the  contem- 
plation of  such  wonders  ?  Let  man  behold  with  awe  and  ad- 
miration, and  learn ^  .,.,;^_ 

Humility. 


R.a 


Roar  away,  mighty  Fall, 
J  am  done — t^ut  is  nlL 


10 


TABLE  ROCK  ALBUM. 


I  ;,M 


i    '  I: 


u 


Roll  on,  mysterious  river,  in  thy  might, 

Awakening  dreams  of  terrible  delight, 

Or  tlirilling  fear,  and  turning  into  naught 

All  that  hath  e'er  been  sketched  in  human  thought 

Of  beauty  and  of  grandeur — God  hath  thrown 

A  glorious  girdle  round  thee — God  alone 

Can  curb  thy  restless  torrent — He  who  gave 

His  voice  of  thunder  to  thy  rushing  wave, 

And  built  on  foam  the  bright  prismatic  bow 

That  sheds  its  glory  on  the  gulf  below — 

Yea,  He  whose  path  is  in  the  secret  deep. 

Shall  lull  thy  troubled  spirit  into  sleep, 

Still  as  a  wearied  babe  that 's  on  the  breast 

Of  yearning  love  is  cradled  into  rest. 

George  Menziks. 
Chippewa,  Nov.  9, 1834. 


I  daro  not  write  my  name  where  God  hath  set  his  seal. 


When  I  stand  on  this  awful  spot,  I  feel  as  if  I  had  entered 
a  living  temple  of  the  Eternal.  In  this  mighty  concentration 
of  waters,  which  have  ceaselessly  rushed  on  and  on,  while 
thousands  of  generations  of  mankind  have  been  passing  away 
from  the  stage  of  life  forever,  I  behold  an  impressive  emblem 
of  the  unchanged  and  unchangeable  glory  of  the  great  King 
of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Author  of  time,  the  father  of  Eter- 
nity. If  genius  would  seek  inspiration,  if  piety  aspires  after 
elevation  as  well  as  holiness  of  sentiment,  let  them  come  and 
worship  at  the  shrine  of  Niagara. 

A.  R  K. 


You  must  go  down  under  the  mighty  Fall ;  and  when  you 
return,  if  you  are  not  naturally  and  permanently  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  poetry,  don  't  attempt  to  versify.  Namby-pamby 
on  such  a  theme  is  utterly  intolerable.  Silence  is,  after  all, 
the  best  poem  on  the  Falls  of  Niagara. 

I  KNOW. 


These 

I  a  name  te 

I  from  the 

clear  up  ^ 

the  Arae 

Ferry  He 


■t 


TABLE   ROCK    ALBUM. 


41 


thought 
rown 


The  Yankees  are  going  to  lake  Niagara  Falls, 
Lilic  they  thought  of  taking  Montezuma's  Halls. 

m  Mex. 


Call  for  an  ice-cream,  a  cake  or  a  tater, 

And  if  you  don't  get  one  of  them,  just  kick  the  waiter. 

Good  Poet  I. 


^ENZIKS. 


3  seal. 


d  entered 
icentration 
on,  while 
sing  away 
'  emblem 
■eat  King 
of  Eter- 
'•es  after 
ome  and 

R.K. 


len  you 
ed  with 
pamby 
ier  all, 

row. 


Ye  prosing  poets,  who  dull  rhymes  indite. 
Why  in  this  place  your  leaden  nonsense  write? 
Can  scenes  like  these  no  nobler  strain  inspire 
Than  vulgar  slang  and  wit  whose  jokes  miss  fire  ? 


These  falls  are  nothing,  after  all,  to  the  great  cataract  with 

J  a  name  ten  syllables  long,  which  is  about  a  pleasant  sleigh-ride 

[from  the   capital  of  the  Georgium  Sidus.     The   Major  went 

I  clear  up  the  Canada  Fall,  swam  round  Goat  Island,  then  down 

the  American  Fall,  and  finally  crawled  up  a  rainbow  to  the 

Ferry  House.  Long  Bow. 

» 

Y^ho  would  feast  your  souls  on  heavenly  food. 

Go  muse  awhile  on  Niagara's  flood :  ^ 

Turn  ye  to  Him  who  pours  its  rushing  wav^ 

And  praise  the  power  who  rules  us  but  to  save; 

Whose  might  could  crush  the  world  he  deigned  to  form, 

Whose  love  redeemed  mankind — who  feeds  the  worm. 


Niagara!  thy  waters  were  not  made 
A  toy  for  puny  mortals'  idle  gaze. 
Thine  is  a  hymn  eternal,  and  the  tones 
Of  thy  mysterious  voice  ascend  the  skies. 
And  pour  the  strain  of  Nature's  melody 
Before  the  throne  of  Him  wlio  made  the  earth, 
And  seas,  and  skies,  and  all  that  in  them  is. 


n\ 


• 


;?  f 


Ilk 


1i- 


'If 


I  1' 


to. 


i 


I'Mli 


i 


i , 


40 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 

I  saw  them  fall,  I  saw  them  fall — 
And  that  is  all,  and  that  is  alU 

Sir  Isaac  Nkwtosj 


On  Table  Rock  we  did  embrace 
And  then  avo  stood  both  face  to  face. 
The  moon  was  up,  the  wind  was  high — 
I  looked  at  she,  and  she  at  I. 


A  scene  so  vast,  so  wildly  grand, 
May  well  a  mortal's  mind  amaze : 
For  even  the  swift  wing'd  angel  band, 
On  Mercy's  errand,  stop  to  gaze. 


%  The  time  may  come  when  steamboats  up 
Niagara  Falls  will  sail ; 
And  then  no  stage  will  be  required 
To  carry  up  the  mail. 

The  codfish  may  have  pic-nics  then, 

Or  take  a  little  spree 
Among  the  folks  at  Chippewa, 

And  then  get  back  to  tea. 


G.M. 


• 


TI1C80  waters  arc  the  perpetual  motion. 


Adiel 
Ton! 

Nextl 
And] 
Ipu^ 
The 


■  See  yoi 

■llush  t( 

Tres  fratres  stolidi 

■ 

Took  a  boat  for  Niagri ; 

■  Now  d< 

Magnun\  frothum  surgebat, 

■  intodi 

Et  boatum  overturnebat. 

H 

Et  omnes  drowndiderunt. 

■  Man  Ic 

Qui  swimmere  non  potuerunt. 

H  Calls 

W.  H.  HowEU, 

IH  Axri-tAr 

If  the  beauty  of  this  Cataract  "keeps  a  falling  oiF"  it  will 
soon  cc'ido  to  be  a  curiosity. 


TABLE   ROCK    ALBUM. 


43 


Adieu,  Niagara !  I'm  off  for  New  York, 

To  measure  out  sugar,  molasses  and  pork, 

Next  year  I'll  return  if  I  crib  enough  cash, 

And  it  won't  be  my  fault  if  I  don't  cut  a  dash. 

I  put  up  at  the  "  Cataract,"  but  could  not  stop  there — 

The  landlord  and  I  were  too  much  of  a  pair. 

Brass  Spurs  and  Brown  Coat. 


See  yon  troubled  waters!  how  madly  onward  they 
Rush  to  the  precipice,  and  the  voice  of  Him  obey, 

The  Great  Invisible. 
I  Now  down  the  "  vasty  deep"  the  mighty  floods  arc  pouring 
Into  dissolving  spray,  while  upward  clouds  are  soaring 

To  the  Illimitable. 
Man  looks  upon  the  scene  with  mingled  hopes  and  fears. 
Calls  back  to  memory  his  long  departed  years. 

And  at  the  future  trembles ; 
When  lo !  the  drooping  soul  beholds  the  covenant  of  peace, 
The  Rainbow.,  that  the  troubled  waters  cease. — 

God  ne'er  dissembles. 

U.  C.  Keelk. 


This  is  to  certify  that  the  company  passed  under  the  sheet 
^f  water,  conducted  by  the  "  darkness  visible"*  of  this  estab- 
ishment.  They  were  splendiferously  delighted,  and  went 
liome  tee-totaticiously  satisfied. 


Great  is  the  mystery  of  Niagara's  waters. 

But  more  mysterious  still  are  some  men's  daughters. 


■»   I 


It  beats  all  natur'.     It  is  the  wickedest  sioht  I  ever  seen. 
Why,  it's  no  more  like  Deacon  Johnsing's  cider  mill  than 
[nothin'  to  no  how. 

Joel. 

*The  officiating  guide — a  colored  man. 


V 


f 


t^.l 


i 


44 


TAULt:    ItUCK    ALUUAl. 

I  saw  the  foam  come  tumbling  down, 
And  spoil  my  ribbons  and  my  gown, 
Nor  heeded  it — because  I  felt 
That  all  around  me  here  there  dwelt 
A  seven-horse  power  of  majesty ; 
And,  overcoine,  I  cried  "  Oh  my!" 

Eliza  Ann  Judd,  New  York. 


I  never  experienced  so  much  mist  before.     In  fact  I  am  com- 
pletely mistified.  R. 


The  best  remark  is  silence. — G. 
Then,  pray,  why  do  you  break  it? — H. 
For  the  same  reason  that  you  do ; 
Because  'tis  hard  to  speak  it. — Y. 
On  memory's  page  two  things  will  never  fade- 
Niagara  Falls  and  Barnett's  lemonade! 


What  a  confounded  noise  that  'ere  brook  outside  makes ! 

W.  W.  B 

It  is  only  some  water  running  over  some  rocks — that's  all. 

J.  N.  TOLMAN. 


The  autogr 
lall  of  creatit 


Cease 
Till  ti 
Earil 
Will 


Thou  image  of  the  Almighty  One,  as  on  thy  wave  I  gaze. 
It  seems  as  God  from  off  his  brow  the  shroud  of  time  doth 

raise, 
And  in  thy  might  I  see  the  hand  that  cleft  thy  headlong  way, 
And  the  veil  of  the  eternal  throne  in  thy  column'd  clouds  of 

spay— 
The  diadem  of  mercy  in  thy  many-colored  bow, 
And  the  terrors  of  his  anger  in  the  gulf  that  boils  below — 
In  thy  thunder  hear  His  voice — 0 !  then  how  dare  I  speak  of 

thee, 
When  thus  the  Godhead  speaketh,  vain  man  must  silent  be. 

C.  H.  Cope,  England. 


Is 

At 

II 

F( 

F< 

E 

A 

h 

I 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


45 


P  YbrX;. 


The  autograpli  of  the  Deity  written  in  running  hand  on  the 
[all  of  creation,  to  tell  man  how  lightly  he  weighs  in  the  bai- 


lee. 


Ceaseless  Niagara,  shall  thy  thunder  roll, 
Till  time  shall  cease  to  be,  and  like  a  scroll 
Earth  shall  be  gathered  up,  and  then  the  soul 
Will  hoed  thee  not;  for  God  will  claim  the  whole. 

N.  Brooks,  JN".  H. 


Too   Good  to   be    Lost. — Nov.   17,   1834.     Visited   the 

[Falls  with  Miss of  Philadelphia,  and  her  little  sister, 

JFanny,  aged  nine.  When  opposite  Tonawanda,  part  of  the 
carriage  harness  became  disarranged,  and  the  driver  stopped 
to  "  fix"  it,  when  just  opposite  a  little  cascade,  formed  by  yester- 
day's  rain.  Little  Fanny,  who  knew  we  were  going  to  Niag- 
ara, supposing  by  the  stopping  of  the  carriage  that  we  had  ar- 
rived at  our  destination,  looked  at  it  for  some  time  very  ear- 
nestly through  the  carriage  window,  and  then  exclaimed — 
"Well,  I  do  think  it  is  very  grand;  but  it  is  not  quite  so  large 
as  I  expected." 

W.  P.  D. 


ize, 
oe  doth 

^g  way, 
)uds  of 


I  stood  upon  Niagara's  dizzy  heights. 

And  gazed  upon  the  fearful  depths  beneath ; 

I  listened  to  the  awful  melody. 

Forever  echoing  to  the  praise  of  God ; 

Fearfully  behind  the  flowing  drapery, 

Entranced  I  stood,  and  heard  terrific  sounds. 

A  slippery  path,  a  yawning  gulf  below, 

And  the  huge  precipices  quiYering, 

Bade  me  beware.     O  God !  I  know  thou  art ; 

For  here  thy  presence  overwhelms  my  soul. 


eak  of 

be. 
nd. 


Oh !  how  I  wish  I  were  a  poet. 

And  had  a  conch  shell — how  I  'd  blow  it! 

J|         Prodigious. 


^  If 

4 


46 


I 


TABLE   EOCK   ALBUM. 

I  looked  upon  the  water,  and  I  smiled 
To  see  how  furiously  the  creeter  hiled; 
And  then  I  thought  I  wiped  a  tear  awavy 
But  folks  that  saw  it  said  it  looked  like  spray. 

Annie  Todd. 


RELIGION. 

From  hallowed  shrines  let  holy  incense  rise, 
In  wreathing  volumes  to  the  azure  skies, 
To  speo,k  the  grateful  homage  of  the  soul. 
When  man  would  own  his  Maker's  high  control. 

But  spices  spread  upon  the  marble  mound. 
Or  perfumes  scattered  on  the  humble  ground, 
Or  prostrate  head,  or  bended  knees  alone, 
Find  no  acceptance  at  the  heavenly  throne. 

So  costly  churches  and  the  glittering  dome, 
May  prove  that  wealth  hath  found  religion's  home, 
But  Nature's  wonders  must  inspire  the  heart, 
That  worships  God  by  love  and  not  by  art. 

Vain  are  the  hymns  which  feeble  choirs  may  raise, 
Compared  with  Nature's  all  pervading  praise ; 
So  like  the  praises  of  Niagara's  roar. 
Our  praise  should  rise  from  this  forevermore. 

V       For  'tis  the  heart  devoted  and  sincere, 
.    Bowing  in  grateful  love  and  holy  fear — 
The  up-turned  eye  with  an  imploring  gaze. 
The  heart-felt  prayer,  the  joyous  song  of  praise. 

'Tis  the  firm  faith,  the  conduct  free  from  guile, 
The  mind  exempt  from  thoughts  that  may  defile, 
The  strict  obedience  to  our  Maker's  laws — 
That  prove  the  votaries  of  religion's  cause. 

A.  R.  P. 

If  you  wish  to  immortalize  yourself,  do  n't  write  in  any  of 
these  books — jump  over  the  Falls.  Never  mind  the  weather, 
if  the  wind  don't  blow.* 


if^ 


fiE  Todd. 


krol. 
Id, 


home, 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM.  47 

'Tis  well — on  sunny  dreams  of  youth, 

And  ^lowiii^  hopes  that  oft  would  steal 
On  manhood's  liour,  the  hand  of  truth 

JIas  stamped  its  impress,  set  its  seal; 
Ai.  i  all  that  I  have  felt  and  feel 

Rush  on  my  soul  in  currents  deep — 
I  sec  the  thundering  billows  reel, 

Niagara,  down  thy  rocky  steep — 
Callous  the  heart  that  fails  to  see 
The  finger  of  the  Beit?// 

The  grand,  the  terrible  are  thine — 

In  majesty  thou  rollest  on ; 
Unceasingly  thy  rainbows  shine, 

And  will  till  time  has  ceased  to  run. 
Emerging  from  the  forest  drn, 

The  savage  stands  in  breathless  fear; 
And  awful  glories,  one  by  one, 

Arrest  the  white  man's  eye  and  ear. 
An  emblem  meek  thou  art  to  me 
Of  limitless  eternity ! 

J.  Bp.  JV.  V, 


"  The  living  know  that  they  must  die." 

Niagara  Falls. 


Tidle-tum  and  tidle  ti. 


VOT  OF  IT  ? 


If  it  were  not  such  a  squally  day 
I  guass  that  I  would  write 

Some  fcimple  lines,  and  say  my  say 
On  this  stupendous  sight. 


W.  H.  A. 


0,  what  a  pity  that  there  should 

Be  such  a  naughty  squall, 
That  pretty  missy  cannot  write 

Her  poem  on  the  "fall." 

Q  IN  A  CoRNEn. 


48 


TABLE    ROCK   ALBUM. 


They  're  all  my  fancy  piunted  them, 

They  're  dreadful,  not  divine ; 
For  they  *re  falling  in  the  devil's  mouth — 

T.  'm  thankful,  not  in  mine. 

R.  Kay. 


Ronr  on,  Niagara!  thou  mighty  wonder! 
Till  thy  stentorian  voice  is  cracked — 
Yea,  rend  thy  very  lungs  asunder, 
In  rolling  out  thy  matchless  thunder,    • 

Old  Cataract! 

"Nil  admirari "  sure  had  been  suppress'd, 
Had  not  that  rhymester  (?)  Horace  lack*d 
The  privilege  with  which  we  're  bless'd, 
To  gaze  upon  thee,  grand,  majest- 

Tic  Cataract. 

Well  mayest  thou  haughtily  defy 
Vain  man  to  stop  thee,  or  detract 
Aught  from  thy  glorious  majesty, 
Or  dim  thy  fame,  most  magnifi- 
cent Cataract. 

Much  farther  has  thy  name  been  pub- 
Lished  than  the  story  of  Ilium  sackM — 
No  fame  of  any  human  rub- 
Bish  can  compare  with  thine  thou  sub- 
Lime  Cataract. 

Forever  shall  thy  waters  flow. 
And  rush  and  fall  by  time  intact, 
And  boil,  and  howl  and  hiss  below, 

Tent  Cataract 

Yet  dangerous  as  thou  dost  appear, 
*  Goldsmith  records  this  wondrous /ac^ 

*'  Some  Indians  once  in  safety  steer- 
Ed  down  in  their  canoes  the  fear- 

Ful  Cataract." 
mghgate,  n.  J.  a  s. 


'*. 


TABLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 

How  poor !  how  very  poor  is  praise  from  man  I 
Poor  to  Him  r  raised,  is  all  created  praise. 
When  I  behold  this  scene,  and  think  that  ull 
Is  of  less  value  than  a  single  soul — 
0  were  the  whole  vast  universe  a  wreck, 
That  awful  wreck  inanimate  were  less 
Than  one  lost  image  of  the  Architect! 


49 


Nature's  loudest  voice  speaking  to  the  soul  through  the 

ledium  of  those  ever-rushing  waters — the  holy  place  of  the 

farth ! — the  vapor  of  an  ever-ascending  incense  to  the  throne 

jf.GodI 

• 

'T  is  did — my  braggin*  days  is  o'er, 
I  *11  brag  of  old  Salt  *  now  no  more. 
The  look  of  pride  which  once  I  wore 
Is  gone,  alas !  my  heart  are  tore; 
The  proudf  firm  footstep,  mine  of  yore 
Arc  now,  too,  gone ;  my  eyes  is  sore,    * 
And  little  scaldin'  tears  does  pour. 
When  I  does  think  that  old  Salt's  roar, 
Was  made  "considerable"  lower. 
Even  at  this  very  door. 

Captinq  Ralph  Stackpole, 

CfSalt  River. 


All  hail,  Niagara!  by  thine  awful  noise, 
Oreat  fear  is  caused  in  minds  of  little  boys ; 
And  as  thou  roUest  with  thy  mighty  rumble. 
All  must  acknowledge  that  thou  mak^st  a  tumble. 
"A  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  forever ;" 
And  in  that  way  thou  certainly  art  clever. 


On  Table  Rock  I  stood,  and  viewed  the  wonders  o'er. 
Looked  on  the  vast  and  foaming  flood,  and  wished  to  look  no 
more. 


3 


*  Salt  River. 


i  I 


''^r 


50 


TABLE   EOCK   ALBUM. 

As  on  the  stormy  beach  I  strayed, 

Where  frowning  rocks  prevailed, 
0 !  thus  my  own,  my  dearest  maid, 

My  hard,  hard  fate  bewailed: — 
"0!  Harry,  dear,  you  '11  break  your  neck- 

Upon  my  soul,  you  will ; 
And  if  you  do,  you  precious  fool, 

I  *11  lick  you — so  I  will ! " 


Why  are  the  Falls  of  Niagara  in  sunshine  like  a  coquette 
Because  they  have  more  bows  (beaux)  than  one. 

Why  is  a  whale  like  a  brick-bat  ?    Because  he  can't  climj 
a  tree. 


What  makes  Nature's  works  wonderful  to  man,  is  man'| 
ignorance  of  them. 

Nature  never  created  any  thing — that  power  belongs  t(j 
God  alone. 

T.  A.  H. 


Next  to  the  bliss  of  seeing  Sarah, 
Is  that  of  seeing  Niagara. 


In  foam,  these  Falls  resemble  ginger-pop — 
In  force,  a  comet ;  for  they  never  stop. 

Solomon  Swop. 


Rush  on  and  on,  Niagara,  rush 
Till  the  archangel's  trumft,shall  knell  the  world; 
And  join  to  chant  earth'l^uneral  dirge 
With  thy  last  dash,  when  the  last  earthquake 
Shakes  the  pillared  globe. 

M.  C. 


TABLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 


51 


)0 !  if  I  were  a  little  fish,  and  had  a  litlle  fin, 

[To  keep  my  little  self  afloat,  I  swear  I  would  jump  in, 

I  And  having  seen  the  mighty  Falls,  and  heard  their  mighty 

roar, 

[Myself  would  be  a  mighty  fish,  henceforth,  for  ever  more. 
Chippewa.  G.  M. 


0 !  if  I  were  a  little  bird,  and  had  a  little  wing, 

I  'd  perch  upon  the  highest  rock,  and  sweetly  would  I  sing. 

Thence  would  I  wing  my  hasty  flight,  and  scud  across  the 

foam. 
And  having  seen  the  wondrous  sight,  I  straightway  would 

go  honi0. 


Somebody,  apparently  under  the  impression  that  the  above  verges 
were  written  by  the  samo  poriion,  inserted  below  them  the  following 
jeud'esprit: 

if  that  you  were  a  little /«A, 
You  say  you  'd  take  a  swim  below ; 

And  if  you  were  a  little  bird, 
To  sing  upon  a  tree  you  'd  go. 

There 's  nothing  but  a  little  beast, 
For  which  you  after  this  can  pass : 

You  had  been  thought  a  man;  but  by 
These  lines  you  've  proved  yourself  an  ass.     m 

J.  S.  B* 


0 !  rather  say,  amazed,  let  me  stand 

Submissive — a  poor,  sinful  child  of  Him 
At  whose  omnipotent  and  dread  command 

Came  forth  the  waters — and  the  cherubim. 
Pray  Him,  that  o'er  thy  soul  he  may  not  bring 

The  bitter  waters,  that  destructive  prove ; 
But  ask  in  faith  of  Him,  thy  Sovereign  King, 

To  drink  the  living  waters  of  His  love. 

Mary  Keelb. 


53 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


What  lots  of  cotton  factories   and   grist   mills   this  little 
hydraulic  power  might  drive;   but  these  Canucks  can't  go| 
ahead,  no  how. 

Uncle  Sam. 


vn 


I  came  to  see  Niagara  too  late.  Five  years  ago,  I  was  a 
creature  of  enthusiasm,  poetry  and  devotion.  Now,  I  am 
feelingless,  heartless,  soulless.  The  once  gushing  founts  of 
youthful  emotion  have  been  broken  up  by  the  withering 
blast  of  adversity.  Thp  flowers  of  my  life  are  blighted; 
and  all  is  dull — all  tame.  I  laugh  at  Niagara,  and  what 
care  I  for  thunder  ?  Great  God !  how  I  should  have  enjoyed 
this  siijht  once. 

^  *^  Bit. 


Bit  with  aflfectation — that  is  all.  Any  man  so  blighted 
in  prospect  and  broken  in  spirit  would  not  think  of  remem- 
bering the  enjoyment  which  he  would  have  had  here,  or 
anywhere  else.  One  who  is  what  this  scribbler  affects  to  be, 
thinks  not  of  his  past  capacity  of  enjoyment,  but  of  his  pres- 
ent sense  of  misery. 

One  who  knows  Now, 

Go  to  prayer  to  heal  your  sorrow 
And  it  will  not  be  to-morrow. 

One  who  has  Known, 


Light  dawned  upon  the  waters ;  and  the  Creator  called  rock, 
and  mountain,  and  vale  out  of  the  immensity  of  ocean,  and 
stamped  upon  all  the  impress  of  grandeur  or  of  loveliness. 
Then  he  looked  abroad  over  the  many  beautiful  things  he 
had  called  into  being,  and  said,  "Yet  will  I  fashion  one  more 
wonder  of  nature,  more  instructive  to  the  soul  of  man  than 
all  others — one  that  shall  be  an  enduring  monument  of  my 
greatness,  and  that  shall  speak  in  a  voice  of  thunder  until  the 
end  of  time,  proclaiming  to  mortals  the  immensity  of  my  power." 
This  was  Niagara.  ♦ 

£.  E.  Smith. 


TABLE   ROCK  ALBUM. 


53 


rcLK  Sam. 


ago,  I  was  a 
Now,  I  am 
g  founts  of 
withering 
blighted; 
and  what 
ave  enjoyed 


^o  blighted 
of  renaem- 
d  here,  or 
^ects  to  be, 
)f  his  pres- 

rs  Now, 


Known. 


Boast  not  thyself,  Niagara, 

That  thy  deep  song  shall  ne'er  be  o'er — 
The  archangel's  voice  shall  yet  proclaim 

That  thou  and  time  shall  be  no  more. 

Boast  not  thyself,  though  God  hath  set 
His  seal  of  glory  on  thee  now ; 

For  He  shall  veil  thy  glory  yet. 

And  take  the  rainbow  from  thy  brow. 

Tho'.   ■     '.;  may'st  sing  a  requiem  o'er 
Th'  ^  fi  e  of  millions  yet  unborn ; 

Thy  sui.  of  glory  too  shall  set — 
The  universe  for  thee  shall  mourn. 


T.  S.  L. 


I  have  just  returned  from  under  the  great  sheet  of  water; 
and  here  record  it  as  my  deliberate  opinion — and  opinion  is 
every  thing — that  there  is  not  a  finer  shower  bath  in  the 
world ;  and  what  is  more,  a  man  must  hold  his  head  down 
whether  he  will  or  no ;  of  course  it  is  a  good  school  for  "  stiff- 


necked  "  people. 


W.  C.  B. 


Lost  in  amazement — that  is,  in  plain  English — drunk  with 
brand}/  and  water. 

Bacchus. 


ailed  rock, 
cean,  and 
loveliness, 
things  he 
3ne  more 
aan  than 
it  of  my 
until  the 
r  power." 

Smith. 


Grand  spectacle  this  Fall  is! 

Grand  pair  of  spectacles  these  Falls  are ! 


R. 


S. 


The  voice  of  the  Almighty  is  heard  rebuking  the  vain  and 
frivolous  ribaldry  so  often  uttered  here.  Bow  thyself,  O  son 
of  man,  before  Him  whose  wisdom  ordained,  and  whose  provi- 
dence sustains  the  wonders  which  surround  thee.  Yea,  bow 
thyself  to  the  dust,  and  whilst  thou  admircst  the  creature, 
adore  the  Creator. 

Eliza. 


m 


54 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


Hi 


Could  I  feel  secure  that  my  life  would  endure, 
Eight  over  the  Falls  I  would  go. 

Of  this  I  feel  sure,  that  the  journey  would  cure 
Any  pain  you  might  have  in  your  toe. 


L. 


0. 


Went  five  hundred  miles  to  see  Niagara,  dined  heartily 
within  hearing,  and  then  played  a  game  at  bowls  before  look- 
ing at  the  Falls !  So  much  for  enthusiasm,  poetry,  sublimity, 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  Went  to  the  Table  Rock,  said  it 
would  do,  and  meditated  upon  the  sublime  genius  and  melan- 
choly fate  of  Sam  Patch ! 

Q. 


I  love  to  roam  o'er  the  swelling  foam 

Of  the  dark  blue  ocean's  waves; 
When  the  bursting  storm  in  its  wildest  form 

With  the  fierce  wind  madly  raves ; 
When  the  writhing  shark,  by  his  form  so  dark, 

Is  seen  mid  the  rushing  spray, 
So  I  like  the  sleet  of  the  water  sheet 

Of  the  grand  Niagaray! 

John  B.  Sciiunk. 


IB 


■W 


It  is  only  a  step  from  the  sublime  to  the  ridiculous. 


J.  T. 


The  Falls  the  one,  and  the  other  you. 


W.J. 


With  regard  to  yourself  (W.  J.)  there  can  be  no  step,  as  you 
have  nothing  that  is  not  ridiculous  in  your  composition. 

Annotator. 

O,  but  you  have  something  very  subHme  in  yours,  so  you 
may  go  up  to  the  head, 

DoMiNija:. 


TABLE   EOCK   ALBUM. 


0S 


This  is  a  great  Jishmg  iphce',  but  there  are  more  Sharks 
than  mackerel. 

J.  B.  S. 

And  more  gudgeons  than  either. 

O.M. 


Niagara,  we  see  thee — God  we  cannot  see.  Which  shal^e 
worship  ? 

Pashaw. 

Any  man  so  unutterably  ignorant  is  not  likely  to  be  much  at 
a  loss  on  that  point,  as  he  cannot  understand  what  is  meant  by 
worship  at  all.  The  very  fact  of  the  Falls  being  visible,  suffi- 
ciently shows  that  they  are  not  an  object  of  rational  worship. 
One  of  the  reasons  for  worshiping  God  is  his  being  invisible. 


Loud  roars  the  waters,  0, 
Loud  roars  the  waters,  0, 

When  I  come  to  the  Falls  again, 
I  hope  they  will  not  spatter  so. 


S.B. 


W.  J. 

as  you 


How  lonely  and  desolate,  would  the  life  of  man  be  without 

Woman. 

What  has  woman  to  do  with  the  Falls  ? 

Quip. 

If  woman  has  not  to  do  with  the  Falls,  I  should  like  to 
know  who  has — she  made  the  first /a//  herself. 

Crane. 

0  what  a /a//  was  there,  my  countrymen ! — Shakspeare. 

Clink. 


i^TOR. 

so  you 

NIB. 


0  God !  David  has  said  of  Thee,  "  Qui  respicit  in  terram  et 
facit  cam  tremere,  gui  tangit  montes  et  fumigant.*'  Here  thy 
mighty  power  shakes  the  rdfj^  themselves,  and  the  very 
depths  of  the  waters  smoke.  O,  THOU  art  mighty  every 
where,  but  terribly  so  at  Niagara. 


56 


TABLE    ROCK   ALBUM. 


Who  tlint  has  not  heard  this  thundering  roar 
Can  be  cImc where  a  thundering  bore? 


M.  C. 


Frivolity  »iii(I  lightness  appear  to  me  altogether  out  of  place, 
totally  uncon^^efjirti  to  this  scene  of  awful  grandeur.  While 
the  voice  of  the  great  Creator  of  the  universe  is  proclaiming 
his  m<itchlfiM8  power,  while  Niagara  is  giving  testimony  to  his 
oninipotci)C(%  lot  um  be  silent  and  adore.  God  is  love;  but  he 
is  also  a  God  of  juntico,  to  be  held  in  reverence  by  all  His  crea- 
tures. Lot  UH  not,  then,  provoke  the  anger  and  just  punish- 
ment of  Ilim  at  whoso  bidding  these  mighty  waters  flow — at 
whose  commund  they  will  cease  their  roaring,  and  at  whose 
will  we  also  move  and  live.  Man — weak,  finite  man,  may 
laugh  and  trido ;  but  the  day  of  retribution  will  surely  come. 
Let  it  not  bo  said  that  wo  have  seen  Niagara  in  vain. 
Philadelphia,  1th  mo.,  31,  1838. 


Here,  when  thy  feet  all  climes  have  trod, 

See  nature's  glory  show  the  power  of  God ; 

And  if  thy  soul  ascending  with  the  spray, 

In  rainbow  light  seeks  God's  eternal  day. 

Turn  homeward — prayer- ward  all  thy  thoughts  and  looks, 

Nor  lose  the  charm  by  drivelling  through  these  books. 

Long  Island. 
Niagara,  July  15,  1838. 


Qnco  on  a  time,  with  nought  to  do  at  home, 

My  wife  and  I  determined  we  would  roam; 

But  to  agree  upon  the  route, 

Admitted  much  domestic  doubt: 

If  I  said  Emtf  she  said  't  was  best, 

She  thought,  to  travel  to  the  West; 

So  after  mony  arguments  ond  brawls. 

She  brought  mc,  nolenSf  volens,  to  the  Falls. 

''A  man  convinced  against  his  will, 

Is  of  the  same  opinion  still ; " 

As  Butler  says — thoughts  the  wit 

More  than  the  sense  that  I  admit; 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


ar 


ut  of  place, 
ur.     While 
proclaiming 
nony  to  his 
ve ;  but  he 
II  His  crea- 
ist  punish- 
■s  flow — at 
at  whose 
man,  may 
rely  come. 


and  looks, 
e  books. 


For  I  came  here  to  end  t'     st». 

Between  myself  and  my  good  m\^. 

Well,  after  staying  here  a  week, 

I  took  a  rather  curious  freak ; 

For  after  having  often  been 

At  every  celebrated  scene, 

I  thought  1  'd  study  the  effect  they  made 

On  men  of  different  country^-of  different  trade 

The  first,  he  was  an  Irishman ; 

The  second  was  a  Scot; 

The  third  was  an  American; 

The  fourth  I  know  not  what ; 

The  fifth  was  a  Canadian — 

Their  names  I  will  not  tell : 

But  their  remarks  upon  the  Falls 

I  still  remember  well: 

"0  Vanagher,  you're  surely  bate, 

For  on  my  soul  they  're  mighty  nate." — (Pat.) 

"I  'am  no  that  sorry  I  cam'  here, 

But  by  my  sooth  that  public's  dear; 

So  when  I've  written  doon  my  name, 

I'll  tak'  myboondle  an'  gang  hame." — (Sawney.) 

"  Them  Falls  I  've  seen  from  every  quarter. 

And  judge  them  but  a  waste  of  water." — (Jonathan.) 

"  Ce  'st  grande,  superbe'  ma  foi, 

MagniSque — 0,  by  Gar !  ver  pretty ! — (Jean  Baptiste.) 


At  morn  the  rising  God  of  day 
Unveils  this  temple  to  our  eyes — 
Incense  ascending  to  the  skies 

Bids  man  his  grateful  homage  pay 

To  God,  at  whose  supreme  command 
The  waters  war,  and  dash,  and  leap, 
And,  thundering  down  this  awful  steep, 

Whirl  furiously  along  the  strand 

Below — before  three  altars  now. 

We  bend  the  knee — three  mighty  Falls — 
Faint  type  of  Him  who  on  us  calls 

Before  the  Three  in  One  to  bow  1 


P. 


il   < 


s^' 


4 


n 


TABLE  ROOK    ALBUM. 


Roll  on,  Niagara, — for  ever  roll — 
You  look  so  GRAND  and  yet  so  droll! 


Emphatic. 


I  can  compare  these  Falls  to  nothing  in  this  world ;  there- 
fore as  I  have  never  seen  the  world  to  come,  and  have  no  lan- 
guage to  express  my  feelings,  I  leave  the  subject  in  the  hands 
of  Eternity. 

Robert  Wallace,  Keniueley, 


Fall  on,  fall  on,  ye  mighty  Falls — 
I  'm  going  now  to  make  my  calls ; 
When  I  come  back  I  hope  I  wUl 
Just  find  you  falling,  falhng  still. 

But  lest  you  lose  your  chance,  my  friend, 
You  'd  better  stay  and  see  the  end ; 
Lake  Erie's  "  packing  up  her  awls  " 
Perhaps  she  may  discharge  the  Falls. 


a 


M. 


The  Falls  make  a  noise — 0 !  nothing  is  louder. 

And  their  spray  sparkles  so — like  a  good  soda  powder! 

Squire  Jones. 


Reminds  me  of  Daddy's  mill  pond,  when  the  gates   are 
hoisted. 

Jonas. 

• ■ — 

Went  under  the  sheet.     Good  gracious  how  we  looked  at  it. 

I  AND  Aunt  Mary. 

• — ■ 

Are  those  who  try  to  express  their  feelings,  the  most  awed 
by  the  sublimity  of  the  scene ' 

Don't  know.     Much   ma^  '>e  stud  on  both  sides  of  the 


TABLE  BOCK  ALBUM. 


00 


TO  THE  ATHEIST. 

Almighty  God! 
The  waters  sing  to  Thee  in  awful  praise ; 
Their  mighty  voice,  in  bursting  thunder  says, 

"Believe  in  God!" 

Eternal  God! 
The  sun  was  dark* — earth  paled  at  its  eclipse — 
A  still  awe  said,  as  if  from  angel's  lips : 
"Believe  in  God!" 

"Believe  in  God!" 
Myriads  of  worlds,  in  their  eternal  speed, 
Hymn  to  their  spheres  the  soul-exalting  creed—- 

"Believe  in  God!" 


ler! 

OKBS. 

es  are 

IfAS. 

datit. 

awed 
r  the 


Blind  belief  is  sure  to  err 

And  scan  his  work  in  vain ; 
God  is  his  own  interpreter, 

And  he  will  make  it  plain. 

John  Sutth, 

Land  Agent,  L.  L.  D.  and  P.I^ 

m 

Poetic  Smyth,  the  Muse's  favored  child, 
Thou  prince  of  rail-roads,  seller  of  lands  wild  I 
Idol  of  women — handsomest  of  men — 
'T  is  nature  speaks  by  thy  poetic  pen. 
Canadians,  round  his  brow  the  laurels  twine, 
And  wreathe  a  chaplet  worthy  of  his  shrine. 
A  few  short  years,  when  Smyth  will  be  no  more— 
His  fame  will  reach  the  trans- Atlantic  shore.f 

Mart. 


*  The  writer  of  the  above  says  the  scene  at  the  Falls  reminded  him 
ofatota.^  eclipse  of  tbe  sun  which  he  had  seen  in  Georgia.  Though 
the  links  of  the  chain  of  association  are  certainly  not  very  perceptible, 
the  Editor  of  this  compilation,  having  n^sympathy  with  the  ribald 
iester  who  attempts  to  turn  his  seriousneriKto  ridicule,  has  purposely 
left  the  witticism  on  his  senses,  which  ll^Iayed  off  in  tiie  Album, 

kuuder  a  "total  eclipse." 

'  t  The  latter  part  of  Mary's  prophesy  has  been  already  fulfilled,  aa 
may  be  seen  by  consulting  Captain  Marrvatt's  book  on  America. 


m 


Il' 


60 


TABLE  BOCK   ALBUM. 


Of  nil  the  roaring,  pouring, 

Spraying  streams  that  dash, 
Niagara  is  number  one — 

All  to  eternal  smash/ 

Jefferson  Braoo. 


Niagara,  it  has  been  sung, 

Can  speak  so  loud  without  a  tongue, 

You  hear  its  voice  a  mile  hence ; 
But  I  a  greater  wonder  know — 
A  pretty  woman,  who,  although 

She  has  a  tongue,  keeps  silence/ 


Ei.  J>  il« 


H 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  FALLS. 

Once  upon  a  time  (the  date  of  which  is  not  recorded),  the 
three  rival  deities,  Jupiter,  Pluto,  and  Neptune,  were  each 
desirous  of  evincing  their  superior  power  in  the  work  of  crea- 
tion, when  Jupiter  built  Olympus  to  frighten  the  world  with 
his  thunder;  Pluto  set  fire  to  Mount  Etna;  and  Neptune,  with 
a  dash  of  his  trident,  made  the  Cataract  of  Niagara  ! 

W.  A.  Stevens, 

Esqyesing,  U.  C. 


These  are  Thy  works,  0  God  I    Let  ir.an  approach 
With  cautious  reverence,  and  behold  and  wonder, 
And  with  profoundest  awe  adore  and  worship  Thee. 
Ten  thousand  thunders  in  the  rolling  flood 
Send  forth  their  peal  in  deep-toned  harmony, 
Sounding  their  anthem  of  eternal  praise 
To  Thee,  thou  great  First  Cause.    Man  hears  Thy  voice 
From  out  the  deep  abyss, — and  overwhelmed 
With  sense  of  Thy  dread  presence  manifest. 
Amazed  and  struck  with  speechless  awe,  he  shrinks 
Appalled  away 

M.  F.  D., 


4. 


New  York. 


You  'd  better  dose  your  eyes — not  eye  your  clothes. 


TABLE   ROCK  ALBUM. 


61 


Braoo. 


•  J.  n. 


•ded),  the 
rere  each 
« of  crea- 
orld  with 
une,  with 
raI 

8, 

9>  U.  C. 

ch 

> 
lee. 


y  voice 

ks 

York, 
s. 


See  Niagara's  torrent  pour  over  the  height, 
How  rapid  the  stream !  how  majestic  the  flood 

Rolls  on,  and  descends  in  the  strength  of  his  might, 
As  a  monstrous  great  frog  leaps  into  the  mud! 

Then,  see,  o'er  the  waters,  in  beauty  divine, 
The  rainbow  arising,  to  gild  the  profound — 

The  Iris,  in  which  all  the  colors  combine, 

Like  the  yellow  and  red  in  a  calico  ^^gownd/" 

How  splendid  that  rainbow !  how  grand  is  the  glare 
Of  the  sun  through  the  mist,  as  it  fervently  glows, 

When  the  spray  with  its  moisture  besprinkles  the  air 
As  an  old  washerwoman  besprinkles  her  clothes! 

Then,  see,  at  the  depth  of  the  awful  abyss, 
The  whirlpool  careering  with  limitless  power, 

Where  the  waters  revolve  perpetually  round. 
As  a  cooper  revolves  round  ajba.rrel  ofjlour! 

The  roar  of  the  waters !  sublime  is  the  sound 
Which  forever  is  heard  from  the  cataract's  steep ! 

How  grand  I  how  majestic !  how  vast !  how  profound ! 
Like  the  snore  of  a  pig  w/ien  he^s  buried  in  sleep! 

The  strong  mountain  oak  and  the  tall  towering  pine, 
When  plunged  o'er  the  steep  with  a  crack  and  a  roar, 

Are  dashed  into  atoms — to  fragments  as  fine 

As  a  pipe  when  'tis  thrown  on  a  hard  marble  Jloor ! 

And  0!  should  some  mortal — how  dreadful  the  doom! — 
Descend  to  the  spot  where  the  whirlpool  carouses, 

Alas !  he  would  find  there  a  rocky  tomb, 

Or,  at  least,  he'd  be  likehj  to  fracture  his  "  trowsers !  ** 

John  G.  Saxk. 


If  Lovers'  Leaps  were  now  the  fashion, 

As  they  were  in  days  of  yore. 
Oh  what  a  place  to  drown  the  passion 

In  Niagara's  foaming  roar. 

W.  A.  Stevens, 


63 


TABLE   BOOK  ALBUM. 

Niagara's  tido  is  pouring, 
Swift  down  the  mighty  steep; 

Loud  as  the  thunder  roaring, 
Ths  bounding  waters  leap. 

A  sheet  of  foam  descending, 
In  boiling  surf  below — 

The  white  spray  high  ascending, 
Pure  as  the  driven  snow. 

Rare  beauty  there  is  glowing, 
When  glittering  sunbeams  play. 

The  rainbow  tints  bestowing, 
Upon  the  rising  spray. 


Not  in  the  mighty  thunder, 
Not  in  tI)^  whirlpool's  sound,  ' 

Not  in  the  cataract's  foaming  fall, 
Will  God  be  always  found: 

But  in  the  still  small  voice 
That  speaks  to  man  for  aye, 

In  silence  and  in  solitude, 
And  in  the  rainbow's  ray. 

And  here  where  Niagara  roars, 
This  beauteous  bow  is  placed— 

Here  may  the  finger  of  our  GK)d, 
In  loveliness  be  traced. 


m* 


Lu. 


'I 


"In  the  year  1836  the  names  of  30,000  persons  were  reg- 
.iitercd  on  the  two  shores  at  the  Falls  of  Niagara." 

All  came  to  see  whate'er  was  to  be  seen ; 
All  saw,  because  they  had  their  eyes,  I  ween ; 
Some  pondered,  some  wondered ;  all  went  away ; 
Whether  they  went  wiser— can 't  pretend  to  say. 

Job  THORNBURT,^n^/andL 


As 
then 
ilized 
with 
less  t 
whicl 
It  lo( 
sols 
even 
pate 


TABLE   ROOK    ALBUM. 


68 


4 


jU, 


reg- 


"  This  world  is  all  a  fleeting  show, 
For  man's  illusion  given ;" 

But  all  who  visit  here  roust  know, 
Niagara  is  of  heaven. 


J.  R.  H. 


We  read  that  in  heaven  there  is  no  material  sun  and  no  ma- 
terial moon;  but  J.  R.  H.  seems  tu  intimate  that  there  is  a 
material  water-fall/  Verily,  the  "wisdom  of  the  world"  is 
now  confounding  the  "  things  that  arc  mighty." 


'Tis  first  a  little  disappointment, 
And  next  a  little  wonder; 

Then  plenty  of  aquatic  ointment, 
And  awful  lots  of  thunder! 


Oh!! 


As  we  see  it  noro,  can  we  describe  our  feelings  ?  What 
then  must  have  been  the  emotions  with  which  the  wild  unciv- 
ilized Indian  viewed  it  as  his  own  ?  In  unbroken  solitude, 
with  nought  to  be  heard  saving  the  deep  roaring  of  the  resist- 
less torrent,  it  must  have  been  to  him  a  place  of  prayer,  at 
which  to  pour  out  his  untutored  homage  to  the  great  Mauitou. 
It  looks  like  mockery  to  see  the  houses,  and  the  gi  cen  para- 
sols of  fashionable  ladies,  among  these  primeval  rocks.  Yet 
even  these  do  not  entirely  break  the  encliantmont,  nor  dissi- 
pate the  consciousness  that  here  you  are  nearer  to  God  than 
in  the  crowded  city. 

Stupendous  river — mighty  cataract ! 

You  excite  my  wonder — that's  a  fact. 
,  I  love  the  music  of  thy  roaring 

I  In  awful  torrents  ever  pouring. 

Crack  Bard. 

Both  truth  and  poetry — "  that 's  a  fact" — 
'T  is  truth  indeed  that  you  are  crack'd ; 
That  you  're  a  Bard  is  poetry, 
Or  in  plain  prose,  an  arrant  lie. 

No  Bard. 


i 


64 


TABLE   BOOK   ALBUM. 


This  spot  was  not  created ;  it  was  left  by  the  Creator  when 
he  called  other  things  to  order,  to  show  men  of  what  rude 
materials  he  formed  our  fair  world. 

D.  R. 


"  The  hell  of  •waters." — Byron. 

Boar,  rage  and  foam,  Niagara, 

We  mark  thy  waters  hurled 
From  oflf  thy  giddy  summit- 

Thou  wonder  of  the  world. 

Let  sceptics  doubt  a  Deity, 

But  in  their  proud  career, 
They'll  own  that  more  than  mortal  hand 

Hath  left  its  signet  here. 

>■-  J.  E.  M. 


I  will  not  woo  the  heavenly  Nine  to  sing  thy  matchless  glory, 
0  Niagara!  For  should  they  strike  the  harp,  and  tune  the 
lyre  to  notes  of  sweetest  music,  they  could  not  weave  a  song 
of  numbers  true  as  those  which  thou  hast  sung  ever  since 
darkness  was  dispelled  from  oS  the  face  of  the  waters.  One 
ceaseless  hymn  to  nature's  God,  since  earth  first  owned  his 
power,  hast  thou  been  singing — not  in  language  such  as  mor- 
tals frame,  but  in  a  voice  that  speaks  louder  than  thunder 
from  the  angry  sky,  telling  to  all  that  nature  has  a  Ood — to 
whom,  in  presence  of  this,  his  grandest  work,  in  humble  rev- 
erence I  submissively  bow* 

J.  M.  Smith,  Jr. 


Land  of  my  birth!  land  of  the  "  stripes  and  stars! 

Studious  of  peace,  victorious  in  thy  wars ! 

How  has  my  bosom  swelled  W'«;h  patriot  pride, 

To  think  no  rival  could  thy  fame  divide. 

Oft  as  I've  climb'd  thy  summit^s  loftiest  mounts, 

And  traced  thy  mightiest  rivers  to  their  founts, 

Or  braved  the  fury  of  thy  inland  waves. 

Or  sought  the  depths  of  thy  capacious  caves — 

How  has  my  heart  exclaimed,  "Land  of  the  free, 

What  matchless  wonders  centre  all  in  thee!" 


TABLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 


65 


itor  when 
hat  rude 

D.R. 


With  thoughts  like  these  I  souglit  these  Western  shores, 

Where  Niagara's  stream  its  current  pours. 

I  passed  the  rapids  to  the  Isle  of  Goats,* 

(But  saw  no  creature  save  the  cows  and  8hoats;\ 

Toiled  up  the  turret,  walked  beneath  the  cliff, 

And  crossed  the  foaming  waters  itf  a  skiff; 

Rode  up  the  bank,  and  stood  on  Table  Jiock, 

Felt  the  earth's  tremor  at  the  wondrous  shock ! 

But  here  for  thee  I  felt  a  thrill  of  shame — 

No  conscious  triumph  warmed  my  drizzled  frame. 

My  pride  was  humbled,  and  mv  boast  was  small; 

For  England's  Jffng  has  got  the  fiercest  Fall! 

A.  U.  Z. 
VniUd  States,  June  1,  183G. 


Now,  if  I  trv  to  write,  I  guess 
You  '11  find  it  but  an  awkward  mess. 
When  1  do  write  there  is  none  such'; 
Therefore,  I  never  do  write  much. 
All  creation's  sons  and  daughters, 
When  they  come  to  view  these  waters, 
Think  they  must  scribble  poetry — 
And,  if  I  can,  why  should  not  I  ? 
But  tea  is  ready  now,  they  say, 
And  I  must  put  it  off  to*aay ; 
And  if  I  can't  write  well  to-morrow, 
I'll  do  as  others  do^I  '11  borrow. 


L.B. 


My  wife  and  I  went  round  the  Falls; 

My  wife  and  I  came  back  again ; 
My  wife  and  I  went  up  the  hill ; 

And  only  think — we  felt  no  pain! 


The  Falls  are  all  I  fancied  them ; 

But  0,  they  arc  not  mine; 
And  if  they  were  I  'd  wish  them  then. 

Not  what  they  are — but  ^vine. 

*Ooat  Island. 

X  Pigs  of  a  certAin  nge. 


ed 


TABLE   BOCK  ALBUM. 


Sit  by  this  roaring  surge, 

Thou  whom  scorn  wasteth ; 
And  let  thy  musings  be 

Where  the  Flood  hasteth. 
Mark,  on  its  troubled  breast, 
Rolls  the  white  billows'  crest: 
So  deem  his  thoughts  unrest^ 
Who  of  love  tasteth. 

Smile  thou,  0  greatly  wise ; 

And  if  fate  sever      0 
Bonds  which  the  heart  doth  prize, 

So  was  it  ever. 
Deep  as  the  rolling  seas, 
Soft  as  the  twilight  breeze ; 
But  of  more  truth  than  these. 

Boast  could  love  never. 


A.  H. 


The  effect  produced  upon  the  mind  by  gazing  on  this 
mighty  avalanche  of  waters  is  the  reverse  of  those  exhila- 
rating emotions  which  we  experience  in  studying  the  quiet 
beauties  of  a  sparkling  cascade,  which  charms  the  ear  and 
soothes  the  heart  with  its  light  tones  of  music.  Our  feelings 
partake  of  grandeur  and  sublimity,  as  we  behold  these  mad- 
dened waters  take  their  tremendous  plunge  into  the  abyss 
below.  Let  proud  man  look  on  in  silence,  and  feel  his  own 
nothingness.  Old  Ocean  herself  might  stand  rebuked  in  the 
presence  of  this  untamed  giant  of  Eternity. 

Harrison  T.  Bkardsley. 


There  *s  grandeur  in  the  lightning  stroke, 

That  rives  the  mountain  ash ;  — 
There 's  grandeur  in  the  giant  oak, 
And  rainbow- beauty  in  the  smoke. 

Where  crystal  waters  dash. 

Alethes. 


Beauty  and  sublimity —twin  sisters,  rocked  on  the  bosom 
of  terror! 


TABLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 


67 


If  I  were  annoyed  with  a  termagant  wife, 
Whose  tongue  was  the  bane  of  nny  every-day  life, 
To  try  to  get  rid  of  her  pestilent  clatter, 
I  'd  live  on  the  brink  of  this  great  fall  of  water. 

SOCRATEB. 


I  came  a  long,  long  way  to  see 
This  mighty  sheet  of  water ; 

And  wish  that  I  rould  only  be 
At  home  with  wife  and  daughter. 


Thomas  P. 


Hunt,  M.  D., 

North  Carolina. 


Well,  now,  I  swow,  if  Niagara  aint  a  little  bit  the  darndest 
place  that  ever  I  seen.  Perhaps,  stranger,  you  've  never  been 
to  old  Kentuck.  If  you  haint,  just  allow  me  to  tell  you,  in  the 
most  delicate  way  in  the  world,  that  that  ere  place  beats  all 
natur  for  steamboats  and  alligators :  but  I  '11  be  teetotal'd,  if 
it  would  n't  be  rather  a  skittish  afl'air  to  go  down  this  here 
water  in  a  "broad  horn." 

E.  S.  B. 


If. 


ARDSLET. 


I  can  only  say,  that  the  sublimity  of  the  scenery  around 
Niagara  Falls,  w^ith  that  of  the  Fall  itself,  exceeds  my  most 
sanguine  expectations.  The  lofty  precipice  over  which  the 
waters  of  Erie  tumble  into  Lake  Ontario,  might  convince 
any  philosophical  mind  that  this  is  an  excellent  place  for 
Carding  Machinery! 

ZiNDENDORF. 


Tell  them  I  AM,  Jehovah  said : 
Niagara's  waters  heard  with  dread, 

And  smitten  to  the  heart, 
At  once,  above,  beneath,  around, 
The  Cataract,  in  thundering  sound. 

Replied—"©  Lord,  Thou  Art!" 

Jos.  H.  Patten, 

JVcw?  York. 


m 


TABLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 


T^ 


Thank  you  most  to  death,  sir;  IVe  got  my  money's  worth 
of  cold  water.  I  rather  guess  it  would  take  a  "  consider altle" 
long-winded  chap  to  stand  twenty-four  hours  on  Termination 
Bock. 

a 


Boll  on,  Niagara,  thou  mighty  cataract, 
Magnificent  memento  of  the  power  of  God! 
Thy  changeless  song  of  praise  commenced  with  time, 
And  will  continue  to  eternity. 

On  this,  the  morning  that  commemorates 

The  resurrection  of  the  Son  of  Qod — 

The  hour  when  Christians  meet  to  worship  Him — 

I  hail  thee  with  astonishment  and  awe. 

Francis  Duncan. 


I  stood  on  the  cliff,  and,  astonished,  gazed  round, 
Saw  the  waters  rush  o'er,  and  heard  them  rebound ' 
.    And  I  thought,  if  my  love  should  slip  and  fall  so, 
She  might  tumble  alone,  for  /  would  n't  go. 

Jvly  30, 1837. 


a 


I  stare  with  wonder,  and  alas  I 
How  bad  a  body  feels, 

To  think  how  difficult  this  pass 
To  emigrating  eels ! 


My  thoughts  are  strange,  sublime  and  deep. 

As  I  look  up  to  thee — 
What  a  glorious  place  for  washing  sheep 

Niagara  would  be  I 


Away,  ye  blockheads,  to  a  grammar-school, 
And  learn  to  write,  spell,  scan  and  parse,  by  rule ; 
Scratch  then  your  heads,  and  scratch  your  doggerel  verse  :- 
It  may,  perhaps,  be  better — can't  be  worse. 


ey's  worth 
isiderable  ** 

RMINATION 


th  timei 


im — 

NCAK. 

id* 
G. 


TABLE  SOCK   ALBtM.  69 

All  ye  perturbed  souls,  that  go, 
With  restless  footsteps  to  and  fro, 
Running  here,  and  scudding  there, 
Backward,  forward,  everywhere — 
Ye  who  haste,  in  double  time. 
From  ever}'  region,  every  clime. 
Hold,  one  moment — pray  ye,  stay, 
And  barken  what  I  've  got  to  say : 

Restless  spirits,  tranquil  sleep. 

Invade  not  ye  my  sacred  keep; 

Come  not  to  Niagara  Fall, 

To  scribble  nonsense,  scratch  and  scrawl. 

Go,  your  footsteps  trespass,  rude. 

On  my  awful  solitude — 

Go,  ye  little  reptiles  vain. 

Go,  and  get  ye  home  again. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Waters, 


f — • 

ON  THE   DEATH   OF   A   MAN   WHO   FELL   OVER   THE   FALLS. 

What  can  more  awful  be,  perhaps  you  say. 
Than  to  meet  death  in  such  a  sudden  way  ? 
What  can  more  awfvl  be?    Have  you  not  heard? 
I  '11  tell  you  then-s-to  meet  it  unprepared. 

J.  Hall, 
Weymouth,  England. 


Let  no  one  think  't  is  waste  of  time 

To  view  this  waste  of  waters — 
The  scene  is  all  alike  sublime 


To  Poets  and  "Bogtrotters." 


A.  B. 


I  am  thankful  that  I  have  been  permitted  to  view  from  this 
spot  the  place  where  it  has'  been  truly  and  beautifully  said, 
"the  Almighty  notches  his  centuries  in  the  eternal  rocks." 

W.  F.  D.  Hot. 


to 


fABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


>  name  I  a  bubble — whence  came  it?     Whither  gone! 
Like  the  rush  of  water  which  hurrieth  to  the  precipice's 
edge — 't is  forever  gone — forgotten!     Thus  is  it  with  man— 
a  worm,  an  atom  of  life'i  nothingness. 


If  you  ihould  deem  sublimity  in  water, 

Just  tako  a  view  from  here,  and  spend  a  quarter. 

Bar-tender. 


Built  by  the  golden  sun,  by  day, 
And  by  the  silvery  moon,  by  night, 

Is  lecn,  amid  the  torrent's  spray, 
An  everlasting  rainbow's  light. 

Serene  above  the  cataract's  rage, 

Oheering  the  storm  it  can't  assuage. 


Why  are  the  Falls  like  a  wt^an?      Because  they  are 
always  making  a  noise. 

Silent  Man. 


What  would  have  been  the  effect  upon  the  eloquence  of 
Demosthenes,  had  he  climbed  the  rugged  steep  of  Niagara, 
gathered  pebbles  from  its  torrent-washed  shores,  and  tried  to 
raise  his  voice  above  the  roar  of  the  cataract  ? 

Zend. 

In  all  likelihood  he  would  have  torn  his  pantaloons,  and 
taken  a  devilish  cold. 

Vell,  vot  of  it. 


Ages  on  ages  Niagara  has  been  pouring 
Its  deep  green  waters  o'er  the  ledge's  brink; 

Ages  and  ages  more  it  may  keep  roaring — 
A  measureleu  and  mighty  mass  of  drink/ 


TABLE  EOCK   ALBUM. 


71 


her  gonef 
precipice's 
th  man- 


Beautiful,  sublime  and  glorious, 
Wild,  majestic,  foaming,  free- 
Over  time  itself  victorious — 
Image  of  eternity. 


J.  F.  C. 


tarter. 

ENDER. 


hejr  are 
Man. 

Bnce  of 
Niagara, 
tried  to 

ENO. 

8,  and 

IT. 


Lo!  dey  come,  de  peoples,  much — 

De  French,  de  Anglais,  Yankee,  Dutch — 

Lo!  dey  come,  and  here  dey  view 

De  vorld  of  vaters — not  a  few. 

De  peoples  come,  and  den  dey  tell 

De  verse  dey  know  not  how  to  spell ; 

And  what  is  very  much  absurd, 

Dey  ignorant  of  Anglais  vord. 

Ma  foi,  indeed,  I  tink  my  verse 

De  best — I  'm  sure  't  is  not  the  worst. 


Francois. 


Lookup  to  where  the  mist  arises, 
AndHle  where  God  himself  baptizes! 


-■%■ 


Lydia. 


Free !  ay,  as  air,*  w 

Or  as  the  stream  that  leaps  the  cataract, 
And  in  eternal  thunder  shouts  to  heaven 
That  it  is  free,  and  will  be  free  forever ! 


Quiz. 


Of  the  two  men  who  live  oflf  this  spot, 

Mr.  Barnett  is  the  best,  I  ween ; 
Let  strangers  come  here,  and  purchase  a  lot 

Of  curiosities  here  to  be  seen : — 
His  museum  is  good,  the  birds  are  well  stufifed, 

As  the  pockets  should  be  that  come  here ; 
His  prices  are  low,  so  you  cannot  be  huflfed, 

And  you  do  n't  see  him  once  in  a  year. 

J.  W.  0. 

*  Not  free  from  rheumatism,  however. 


7» 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


I 


I 


The  morn  was  fair,  the  skies  were  clear,  as  we  stood  upon 
the  Rock — four  distinguished  gentlemen  from  Texas;  and 
nothing  was  to  be  seen  in  the  blue  vault  of  heaven,  save 
one  little,  fleeting  cloud,  that  floated  over  the  azure  space, 
and  looked  like  some  wandering  angel's  bed-quilt  hung  out 
to  dry. 

Probably  angels'  "bed-quilts"  are  peculiar  to  the  region 
of  Texas.     We  in  Canada  have  no  conception  of  such  things. 

Why  should  you,  when  there  are  no  "angels"  in  it? 

Are  angels  peculiar  to  Texas  ? 

"Guess"  not — they  would  not  stay  long. 

Well,  but  they  might  stop  one  night  by  the  way,  and  would 
therefore  want  a  "bed-quilt" — the  sheet  is  always  ready  here 
when  they  come. 

No,  it  is  n't  either,  because  it  is  never  dry. 

If  they  want  dry  sheets,  they  had  boiij^  bring  them  in 
their  trunks. 

Angels  are  not  elephants,  you  goose ;  they  do  n't  carry 
irunhs.  ^ " 

Elephants  do  n't  carry  sheets  in  their  trunks,  either. 
No,  nor  do  you  carry  bnuns  in  your  head. 
Nor  you  any  where  else. 


The  wonder  of  the  world,  and  a  world  of  wonder. 


Sam. 


':   ;i 


DISCOVERT  OF  TERMINATION  ROCK 

A  young  salmon,  one  day. 

To  his  mother  did  say, 
"I  should  very  much  like  a  nice  leap  through  the  spray." 

The  old  lady  said,  "Why, 

If  you  like  you  may  try ; 
But  I  guess  that  the  jump  will  be  found  rather  high." 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


73 


Then  she  just  took  a  peep, 

But  thought  it  too  deep ; 
**  No,  no,"  said  mamma,  **  Catch  a  weasel  asleep — 

Mind,  child,  if  you  go  ' 

To  the  regions  below, 
What  will  become  of  you  then  I  do  a't  know." — 

But  the  young  fish,  so  wise, 

Did  its  mother  despise, 
And  being  adventurous  straightforward  tries. 

Soon  it  fell  from  the  edge, 

And  got  dashed  on  a  ledge, 
Whence  an  Indian  to  bring  it  back  soon  gave  a  pledge. 

The  Indian  so  brave 

His  pledged  honor  to  save. 
Found  a  path  by  the  rock  out  of  reach  of  the  wave ; 

Through  spray  and  through  squall. 

He  returned — fish  and  all ; 
And  he  was  the  first  that  went  under  the  Fall. 

Mr.  Forsvth  then  came, 

And  went  under  the  same,    . 
And  thus  to  posterity  handing  his  name. 

What  after  befell, 

The  guides  best  can  tell — 
/went,  with  ray  wife;  and  we  both  liked  it  well! 

H.  Sylvester, 
Vicarage,  Buckingham,  England, 
October  24, 1839. 


Niagara, 


I  stand  upon  Niagara's  dizzy  heights, 
Gazing  far  down  mto  the  fearful  gulf, 
And  listening  to  the  sleepless  melody, 
That  never  tires,  but  still  keeps  booming  on, 
Deep  echoing  to  the  eternal  praise  of  God. 
Trembling  behind  the  flowing  drapery 
Of  mist,  I  stoop,  and  list  unearthly  sounds 
Ringing  all  round,  above  me  and  beneath. 
God,  thou  art  present  with  me,  and  the  voico 
Is  thine  that  whispers  me — "  Beware." 

Oct.  1839.  * 

4 


u 


TABLE   ROCK  ALBPM. 

Niaoaro,  can  words  express 

Thy  wondrous  majesty  ? 
Great  Queen  of  floods  enrobed  in  cloudn- 

Thou  emblem  of  eternity. 

I  've  8to©d  upon  thy  trembling  shore 

At  dead  of  night,  and  heard 
The  mighty  thunder  of  thy  roar, 

"While  earth  itself  has  stirred. 

I  've  seen  thy  gulf  when  silvered  o'er, 

Beneath  the  moon-lit  sky, 
While  wreaths  of  spray  resemblance  bore 

To  phantoms  floating  by ; 

And  I  have  gazed  upon  thy  bow — 

That  bridge  of  colored  light, 
On  vhich  our  fancies  heaven- ward  go, 


7ii  visions  of  delight. 


October  17,  184G. 


J.  G.  H. 


I  have  been  to  "  Termination  Rock," 

Where  many  have  been  before ; 
But  as  I  can 't  describe  the  scene, 

I  won 't  say  any  more. 

H.  Stlvesteh. 

If  you  cannot  dcs(»ribe  the  scene — 
Which  all  should  much  deplore — 

Inferior  bards  should  drop  their  pens — 
Their  verse  would  be  a  bore. 


I'll  climb  the  mountain  tops, 

And  there  I  '11  guage  the  weather; 

I  '11  wrench  the  rainbow  from  the  clouds, 
And  tic  both  ends  together. 

C.O.B. 


''tI^' 


n  clouds 


»ore 


ice  bore 


TABLE   BOOK  ALBUM. 


76 


Hocb,  airs,  but  its  an  awfu'  place  this — its  waur  and  wilder 
than  the  Glauchan  of  Abufayle,  only  there  are  nae  breekless 
Hielandcrs  about  it  Ma  conscience!  If  Helen  McGregor 
would  na'  hae  gi'en  up  the  reversion  o'  her  revenge  on  the 
Lowlanders  to  have  had  sic  a  linn  as  this  to  throw  pair  Morris 
over.  Oude  save  us  I  but  it  gars  me  grue  to  think  o'  that 
fearsome  limmer  in  connection  wi'  this  fearsome  gulf.  If  she 
had  tho  hale  race  o*  the  Sassenach,  as  she  ca's  them  iu  her 
outlandish  gibberish,  on  the  brink  o'  this  awfu'  bowf,  I  dinna 
raak'  the  least  doubt  that  she  could  wi'  a  crook  o'  her  mou' 
get  up  a  hale  army  o'  Hieland  savages  to  rise  up  out  o'  time 
wuds  to  drive  them  ower.  What  would  my  faither,  the  Dea- 
con, hae  thocht  if  he  ever  could  ha'e  jaloused  that  I  should 
daun'cr  sao  far  frae  the  saut  market,  and  come  amang  wild 
Indians,  waur  even  than  Hielanders,  only  that  their  claos  come 
farther  down  ower  their  hurdies,  and  in  especial,  among  fouk 
ca'in  themselves  civileezed,  whae  charge  sae  rauckle  for  their 
victual  and  drink. 

NicoL  Jarvib. 


-r*- 


uds, 
C.  0.  B. 


Here  speaks  the  voice  of  God — ^let  man  be  dumb, 
Nor  with  his  vain  aspirings  hither  come. 
That  voice  impels  the  hollow-sounding  floods. 
And  like  a  Presence,  fills  the  distant  woods. 
These  groaning  rocks  the  Almighty's  finger  piled ; 
For  a^'es  here  his  painted  bow  has  smiled, 
Mocking  the  changes  and  the  chance  of  time — 
Eternal,  beautiful,  serene,  sublime! 

Willis  Gatlord  Clark. 


Down  the  steep  an  ocean  pours, 
Loud  the  rushing  water  roars. 
Oh,  how  shadowy  were  the  way, 
If  no  rainbow  lit  the  spray ! 
Here  a  love-sick  swain  may  find 
Speedy  cure  for  anguished  mind. 
Take  one  plunge,  and  every  wo 
Tfovfu  the  gulf  will  quickly  go. 

J.  Austin,  Texa* 


m 


76 


TABLK   ROCK   ALBUM. 

Here  fuols  from  all  lands  take  of  gazing  their  fill, 
In  wonder  that  water  will  run  down  a  Iiill. 

Cyrus.! 


The  wealth  of  Croesus  might  have  built 
A  thousand  Congress  Halls; 

But  what  a  sight  it  must  have  cost 
To  build  Niagara  Falls! 


I  should  have  surely  written  a  poem  here;  but  mymv 
has  got  water-logged. 

John  Bmtth,  Land  Agent,  L.  L  D.  and  P.  L 

"  Water-logged,"  Mister  Smyth,  are  you  sure  that  the  /oj 
In  the  way  of  your  muse  is  not  swimming  in  grogP 

Sir  Walter  Scott. 

He  'b  a  gomeril,  that  Smyth — a  pure  feckless  body — 
Wha  the  de'il  can  write  poetry  wha  canna  drink  toddy! I 
What  a  pour  o'  Glenlivit — an  ocean  and  mair —  ' 

It  would  tak'  to  mix  up  that  cauld  water  down  there ! 

Ettrick  Shkpherd. 


Hermoso  Niagara  I  yo  te  saludo. 


Look,  look  up;  the  spray  is  dashing, 

Roaring  waters  foam  and  sweep,-||&,i 
O'er  your  head  the  torrent  dashing, 

Hurls  its  grandeur  down  the  steep. 
O,  mortal  man  beneath  such  splendors, 

How  trifling,  mean,  and  vain,  and  poor! 
Prepare,  then,  sinner,  to  surrender 

AH  thoughts  unhallowed  and  impure. 
Terrific  is  the  scene  around  you — 

Mark  ye  how  wild  the  waters  ring; 
Columns  of  wreathing  cloud  surround  you- 

This  is  Thy  work,  0  God,  our  King! 


m 


TABLE   BOOK   ALBUM. 


n 


^  ..J  ""  "'^       1]  would  recommend  every  visitor  to  go  behind  the  "Great 
'  '       n        Beet  of  Water"  to  "Termination  Rock."     I  have  not  been 
^yRU&^rft  myself,  but  from  all  accounts,  it  must  be  a  "tarnation 
e"  place. 
I  buiJt  ■  .         T.  C.  TupPKR, 

ober  26,  1839.  Mitsissipi, 


■e;  but  mymn 

L.  D.  and  P.  L. 

sure  that  the  k 
»g  in  ffroff.f 
Salter  Scott. 

kless  body 

ia  drink  toddy! 
mair — 
iown  there! 
3K  Shicpherd. 


I 


)oorI 
re. 


you— 


I  At  this  season  of  the  year,  I  should  advise  the  visitors  to 
I  under  the  blankets;  which  would  be  quite  as  likely  a  way 
show  their  "  cuteness." 


Niagara  FaUt,  September  21,  1849. 
Iy  Dear  Mother: 

I  guess  this  river  is  'the  wrathiest,  go-ahead,  hand-over- 
ind,  frothiest  bit  of  water  I  ever  seen.  The  waves  comes 
Ircakin,  one  arter  another,  like  gals  out  of  a  meetin  house, 
len  the  preachin 's  over ;  and  keeps  churnin  about  till  they 
ier  turSB  to  milk,  but  somehow  the  milk  wont  turn  to  butter 
summer,  though  it  do  look  creamish.  Squire  Barnett,  who 
ires  here,  ses  he  gits  it  up  in  winter,  and  sells  it  out  in  pur- 
pirin  times  for  ice-cream ;  •  but  may  I  swallow  a  hookin  ox  if 
[believe  him.  Sich  a  noise  as  it  makes  I  never  heerd  tell  on. 
beats  high-preshure  ingines  bustin  their  bilers.  I  can't 
ilkilate  how  many  hos-power  this  stream  is;  but  I  rayther 
link,  that  if  Ohio  was  hitched  to  one  eend  of  an  everlastin 
iff  chain,  and  this  here  Niagara  to  t'  other,  that  the  state 
buld  come  over  the  Falls  as  easy  as  a  nightcap  over  a  walk- 
ig  stick.  And  then,  what  they  call  spray  (we  say  rain,  on 
ir  side)  keeps  fallin  and  fallin,  till  a  feller  gets  as  wot  as  the 
iside  of  a  whiskey  barl.  Folks  think  nothin  of  it  here — I 
30se  it  saves  washin ;  it  do  n't  save  ironin  though,  for  I  seen 

Iwo  gals  go  down  the  starcase  with  gownds  as  stiff  and  pussy 

Is  a  turkey-rooster ;  and  when  they  kem  back  agin  you  could  n't 

lave  told  'em  from  mermaids. 
There  is  a  place  under  the  water  called  "Tarmination 
)ck,"  which  they  wanted  me  to  see ;  but  as  the  ticket  for 
dive  were  a  dollar,  and  my  name  was  n't  Sam  Patch,  1  guv 

Rm  Lane  fifty  cents  to  take  the  job  off  ra]*  bands.     Well,  ho 
irent  into  a  leetle  room,  while  I  was  a  lookin  at  some  puter- 

ractions,  kristals,  and  other  scientific  things  a  gal  was  explainin 


!:•■ 


^i-' 


P 


78 


TABLE  EOCK   ALBUM. 


to  me,  when  a  feller  comes  behind  me,  and  guv  me  a  bump  on 
the  back  as  hard  as  a  calf  suckin  a  dry  cow,  and  hollers  out, 
"Here  I  are,  booked  for  Tarmination ; "  and  there  was  Jim, 
sure  enuf,  with  such  an  out-of-the-land  coat  and  hat  on,  that 
I  'd  a  taken  him  for  a  riglar  built  furrener.  But  Jim  felt  as  1 
fine  as  a  pig  with  a  sweet,  apple  in  his  mouth,  and  went  a  turnin 
round  and  round,  with  his  coat  tails  flappin  round  his  head 
till  I  felt  red  all  over  lest  the  gal  should  see  him.  I  thought 
Jim  did  n't  know  his  trowsers  were  wore  out  from  settin  on 
stones,  or  sich  like,  so  ses  I,  "Jim,  you  *d  better  go  under  at 
oncet,  and  kiver  yourself  up  from  the  peak  eend  of  your  nose 
to  the  hole  in  your  under  kiverins."  With  that,  Jim  claps  his 
Imnds  behind  him,  and  warket  himself  down  the  starcase,  as 
strate  as  a  corkskrew  into  a  cider  bottle — he  follerin  on  a  guide, 
and  I  a  follerin  on  him.  But  we  'd  not  gjone  fur,  when  it  blue 
so  scieechin  hard,  and  rained  so  slantindiklarly,  that  I  made 
tracks  up  stairs  agin,  and  found  a  hull  congregation  of  men 
and  weemin  ritin  thar  names  in  books,  and  makin  poetry  on 
the  fall.  They  was  all  sniggerin  when  I  fust  went  in;  but 
arter  a  leetle  one  on  'em  comes  up  to  me,  as  smilintas  a 
munkey  when  it's  done  scratchin,  and  says  she,  "You  are  a 
smart  chap,  and  I  see  by  the  rooster  of  your  eye,  you  're  a 
poetizer.  So  now  du  rite  us  some  verses,  and  I  '11  get  'em  sot 
to  musik,  and  sing  'em  for  you." 

The  water  had  taken  eeny  most  all  the  ambition  out  of  me, 
but  when  I  seen  'era  all  lookin  at  me,  my  dander  got  up,  and 
down  I  sot,  and  rote  her  this: 

When  I  cum  here,  I  felt  so  queer 

To  see  the  water  pourin, 
I  riz  my  eyes  up  to  the  skies, 

And  felt  myself  a  soarin. 

But  when  I  got  near  out  of  site, 

I  heerd  a  gal  a  callin, 
And  turned  about  when  she  did  shout, 

And  listened  to  her  squallin. 

Ses  she,  "  Dear  sir,  I  know  you  are 

A  clever  poetizer ; 
Rite  me  a  line  now  most  divine, 

^or  look  away  so  shy,  sir." 


7% 


me  a  bump  on 
nd  hollers  out,! 
there  was  Jim  I 
nd  hat  on,  that 
But  Jim  felt  as  | 
d  went  a  turnin  j 
ound  his  head 
im.    I  thought 
from  settin  on 
■r  go  under  at 
d  of  your  nose 
,  Jim  claps  his 
he  starcase,  as 
rin  on  a  guide, 
>  when  it  blue 
'»  that  I  made 
;ation  of  men 
liin  poetry  on 
kvent  in;  but 
'>  smiiin#as  a 

"  You  are  a 
'ye,  you  're  a 
W  get  'em  sot 

)n  out  of  me, 
"  got  up,  and 


'Ut, 


TABLE   KOCK   ALBUM. 

Now  here  it  is,  and  for  a  ki&s, 
I'll  write  you  sich  anofhcr — 

Ses  she,  "You'll  wait  until  you  get 
The  leave  of  aunt  and  mother? 


She  kept  lookin  over  and  talkin  at  mc  with  her  eyes,  ond 
I  sometimes  she  'd  say  somctliinGj  tu ;  and  when  1  'd  dun,  I  felt 
as  proud  as  a  gardner's  dog  wjtii  a  collyflower  tied  to  his  tail; 
and  they  was  a  complimentin  me,  and  I  was  a  bowin  to  the 
ladies,  when  Jim  comes  up  the  miscrablest  critter  that  ever 
got  out  of  a  mill-pond.  Ho  sod,  he  'd  been  skeert  eeny  most 
to  death,  and  thought  his  pipe  was  out  for  etarnity.  The 
weemin  haw-hawd  at  him  till  he  Hiippcd  away  to  change  his- 
self;  and  arter  that,  we  went  to  the  hotel  whar  I  am  writin 
this,  which  Squire  Barnett  will  forrord  by  fust  passengef  to 
our  place.  I  '11  be  to  hum  soon,  and  titch  some  curositys 
along  with  me. 

Your  dutiful  son, 


Jake  Slickershin. 


Mrs.  StiGKERSHiN,  7 

Slicker  shin  Holler,  Ohio.  J 


f, Squire  Barnett  will  oblocge  Juke  Slickershin,  whot  bot  a 
iterfaction  of  him,  if  ho  '11  give  this  here  to  the  fust  passen- 
g#  to  Slickershin  Holler ;  and  if  none  offer  but  Quakers,  he  'd 
best  keep  a  koppy  to  send  by  othor  conveyance. 


Should  the  British  Lion  ever  come  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara, 
he  will  there  see  the  proud  eagle  of  American  Liberty  sitting 
in  his  majesty ;  and  will  go  roaming  down  that  mighty  cata- 
ract in  despair. 

If  tlie  American  Eagle  comes  to  the  British  side  of  the 
Falls,  that  same  old  Lion  will  pluck  his  feathers,  and  compel 
him  to  take  shelter  behind  a  cotton  bale. 


Farewell,  Niagara — may  thy  mighty  waters  roll  on  till  time 
is  no  more,  that  man  may  learn  how  insignificant  arc  all  his 
works  compared  with  those  of  the  Almighty. 

B.  P.W. 


i.  '• 


S(k 


ABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


Hail !  Sovereign  of  the  World  of  Floods,  whose  majesty  and 

might 
First  dazzles,  then  enraptures,  then  o'eraws  the  aching  sight, 
The  pomp  of  kings  and  emperors,  in  every  clime  and  zone, 
Grows  dim  beneath  the  splendors  of  thy  glorious  watery  throne. 

No  fleets  can  stop  thy  progress — no  armies  bid  thee  stay ; 
But  onward,  onward,  onward,  thy  march  still  holds  its  way; 
The  rising  mist  that  veils  thee,  as  thine  herald  goes  before, 
And  the  music  that  proclaims  thee,  is  the  thundering  cataract's 
roar. 


si 


^t 


Thy  diadem  is  an  emerald  green,  of  the  clearest,  purest  hue. 
Set  round  with  waves  of  snow-white  foam  and  spray  of  feathery 

dew; 
While  tresses  of  the  brightest  pearls  float  o'er  thy  ample  sheet, 
And  the  rainbow  lays  its  gorgeous  gems,  in  tribute  at  thy  feet 

Thy  icign  is  of  the  ancient  days,  thy  sceptre  from  on  high. 
Thy  birth  was  when  the  morning  stars  together  sang  with  joy: 
The  sun,  the  moon,  and  all  the  orbs  that  shine  upon  thee  now. 
Saw  the  first  wreath  of  glory  that  entwined  thine  infant  brow. 

And  from  that  hour  to  this,  in  which  I  gaze  upon  thy  stream,* 
From  age  to  age,  in  winter's  frost,  or  summer's  sultry  beam. 
By  day,  by  night — without  a  pause — thy  waves  with  loud  ac- 
claim. 
In  ceaseless  sounds  have  still  proclaimed  the  Great  Eternal's 
nama 


m. 


For  whether  on  thy  forest-bank,  the  Indian  of  the  wood, 

Or  since  his  days  the  Hed  Man's  foe,  on  his  father-land  have 

stood; 
Whoe'er  has  seen  thy  incense  rise,  or  heard  thy  torrents  roar. 
Must  have  bent  before  the  God  of  All,  to  worship  and  adore. 

Accept,  then,  O  Supremely  Great!  O  Infinite!  0  God! 
From  this  primeval  altar — the  green  and  virgin  sod — 
The  humble  homage  that  my  soul  in  gratitude  would  pay 
To  Thee,  whose  shield  has  guarded  me  through  all  my  wan- 
dering way. 


TABLE  EOCK   ALBUM. 


81 


Majesty  and 

ihing  sight, 
and  zone, 
atery  throne. 

ie  stay; 
3  its  way; 
s  before, 
ig  cataract's 


urest  hue, 
of  feathery 

mple  sheet, 
at  thy  feet 

)n  high, 
g  with  joy: 
I  thee  now, 
fant  brow. 
tl 

ly  stream,^ 
try  beam, 
i  loud  ac- 

Eternal's 


Dod, 
and  have 


IFor,  if  the  ocean  be  as  naught  in  the  hollow  of  thine  hand, 
JAnd  the  stars  of  the  bright  firmament,  in  thy  balance,  grains 

of  sand; 

llf  Niagara's  rolling  flood  seems  great  to  us  who  lowly  bow, 
[Oh!    Great  Creator  of   the  Whole!    how  passing  great  firt 

Thou! 

Tet,  though  thy  power  is  far  more  vast  than  finite  man  can 

scan, 

[More  boundless  is  thy  mercy  shown  to  weak  dependent  man; 
1  For  him  Thou  cloth'st  the  fertile  fields,  with  herb,  and  fruit, 

and  seed; 
I  For  him  the  woods,  the  lakes,  the  sea,  supply  his  hourly  need. 

I  Around,  on  high,  or  far  or  near,  the  Universal  Whole 
Proclaims  thy  glory,  as  the  orbs  in  their  fixed  courses  roll; 
And  from  Creation's  grateful  voice,  the  hymn  ascends  above, 
While  Heaven  re-echoes  back  to  earth,  the  chorus — "  God  is 
Love!" 

J.  S.  Buckingham. 
Clifton  Hotel,  Niagara,  July  23,  1840. 


He  who  would  immortalize  his  name — 

Jump  from  the  Falls,  j^k  with  its  thundering  roar; 
And  his  would  be  high  SRhe  list  of  fame 

As  any  that  would  wish  to  soar. 

J.  BUUKE. 

Oh,  Mr.  "J.  Burke,"  thou  art  a  sad  wag,  I  ween, 
Suppose  you  try  the  trick  yourself,  and  let  posterity 
Know  how  you  felt  afterwards. 


nts  roar, 
1  adore. 

Ad  Niagara 

Qui  te  audit  beatus  est; 

(! 

Beatior  qui  te  vidit; 

pay 

■     Sed  qui  te  comprehendere  posset 

Beatissimus  est. 

ny  wan- 

My  mh,  1851. 

A.  D.  J 

s. 


! 

i 


iif 


d2 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 

"  Enraptured  with  the  view,  I  'm  lost 
In  wonder,  love,  and  praise ! " 


Thy  path  is  ou  the  deep  waters." 


J.  Li.  B. 


■y 


Thou  of  tho  universe,  whose  sovereign  sway 

Call'd  light  from  darkness,  and  from  night  made  day, 

Alone  presided  o'er  all  nature's  birth, 

Gave  ocean  bounds,  and  energy  to  earth ; 

Sun,  moon  and  stars,  to  each  their  place  assigned, 

Subject  to  laws,  all  perfect  in  their  kind ; 

Decked  this  gay  world  with  foliage,  flowers  and  fruit, 

With  various  seasons  as  each  clime  best  suit. 

With  mountain,  valley,  rivulet,  rock,  dell, 

Lawn,  meadow,  lake,  so  wisely  and  so  well. 

All  living  creatures  formed  beneath  the  sky, 

From  the  huge  mammoth  to  the  smallest  fly ; 

Birds,  beasts,  fish,  insects — everything  below, 

Life,  instinct,  being,  to  thy  bounty  owe; 

Man,  lord,  and  woman,  loveliest  of  all. 

The  tempted  still,  since  tempted  first  to  fall ; 

Emblem  of  hope  o'er  sorrow's  darkening  gloom, 

Man's  solace  from  the  cradle  to  the  tomb. 

But  viewing  nature  with  admiring  eye. 

In  all  her  charms,  wood,  ^ptescape,  ocean,  sky, 

While  due  proportion  will  m  each  appear, 

While  all  is  good,  the  master-piece  is  here. 

Here  where  'mid  waters  wild,  and  torrents  hoarse, 

Mighty  Niagara  rolls  its  rapid  course. 

Sublimely  awful !  seeming,  even  now 

An  ocean  flowing  o'er  a  mountain's  brow ; 

So  grand,  and  yet  so  fearful  is  the  gaze. 

No  pen  can  paint,  no  tongue  can  tell  its  praise ; 

While  standing  spell-bound,  motionless,  beside 

Its  ceaseless,  changing,  overwhelming  tide. 

The  eye  will  see,  the  heart  must  feel  how  small 

Is  man  compar'J  with  the  first  cause  of  all. 

0  may  we  learn,  without  the  chastening  rod. 

Wondering  at  nature's  scenes,  to  worship  thee  her  Ood. 

Douglas  Stuart. 
Septcmher  16,  1844. 


. 


4 


TABLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


83 


J.  L.  B. 


Here  is  recorded  the  startling  fact, 
I  have  been  beneath  the  Cataract ; 
Bid  Niagara's  fairest  daughter 
Bring  me  a  glass  of  gin  and  water, 
When  half-seas  over,  fairly  reeling, 
I'll  tell  thee  all  about  that  feeling. 
Talk  not  to  me  of  feelings  now, 
But  wipe  the  wild  spray  from  my  brow 
And  on  the  bridge  the  radiant  bow, 
A  heaven  above,  a  hell  below, 
We  '11  speak  of  love,  or  fear,  or  sorrow. 
To-morrow — let  it  be  to-morrow. 

W.  HM..M. 


Oh,  for  the  pen  of  Byron !  I  'm  inspired 
By  a  great  theme,  and  it  is  loftier,  I  know. 

Than  that  which  erst  the  "gloomy  Harold"  fired, 
When  singing  of  thy  cataract,  Velino ! 

Alas,  my  verses  halt  and  blindly  stagger,  a- 

Long  'neath  their  load.  Oh,  most  sublime  Niagara! 

I  am  unequal  to  my  task,  yet  feel 

That  I  owe  generous  Mr.  Barnett  something. 
For  his  kind  cognizance  of  travelers'  weal,    — 

And  tho*  this  way  of  paying  is  a  rum  thing, 
I  do  it  cheerfully,  and  ]iope  this  sample, 
Will  make  all  poets  follow  my  example. 


I  love  to  read  these  books  of  turgid  verses, 
They  help  me  to  appreciate  the  sublime ; 

And  it  is  pleasant  to  see  witless 

Scratching  their  pates  and  conjuring  up  rhyme ; 

While  gaping  crowds  stand  by  in  stupid  wonder 

To  see  them  almost  split  their  skulls  asunder. 

Four  stanzas  are,  I  think,  a  dose  sufficient ; 

Read  these  ye  would-be  bards,  and  let  me  tell  ye, 
If  ye  would  like  to  be  in  verse  proficient, 

I  have  the  secret  which  I  '11  cheaply  sell  ye ; 
My  price  is  fixed,  I  cannot  from  it  vary. 

Two  shillings  for  my  rhyming  dictionary. 


\n 


1^1 


I 

M 


iff 

n, ' 

il 

in! 

k 

n 

'■■i 

I  ■ 

ir! 

61 


TABLK  BOCK   ALBUM. 


Having  visited  the  RocM,  and  received  the  best  of  attention 
from  tlie  proprietor  of  Ujirnett's  Museum,  it  is  the  wish  of  the 
visitor,  tiial  he  mny  bu  mucov  ^sful  in  accommodating  tho^jC 
other  IC  "A;*,  which  he  »o  richly  deserves  by  his  earnest  efforts 
to  pron  '.c    lae  comfort  of  hia  visitors. 

M.  F.  N. 

Man  8,  1£.'0. 


Etas;  npi'AH  torrcntosos,  en  su  iialto  loco  y  atrevido,  sou  la 
simb«$lic»i  jrsonificiicion  caractcriistica  del  genio  activo,  in- 
quieto  y  emprendador  do  loit  hubitantes  de  los  Etados  Unidos. 

M.   ElVADBNSYRA. 
9  de  Junio,  de  1650. 


June  22d,  1850. 


Tbo  nvor,  with  its  lashings, 

Like  a  bosom  full  of  fears, 
Has  a  mist  to  hide  its  passions, 

And  tt  place  to  shed  its  tears. 

The  bow  in  beauty  bending 

So  rudiunt  in  the  skies. 
Like  a  pretty  maiden,  lending 

Love  8  flashes  from  her   yes. 

The  river  and  the  bcvr 

Form  a  varied  sctra?, 
Like  our  pleasures  and  our  woe. 

With  a  weeping  seat  bet\u^n. 

^ciMUS  Morse. 


ADDRESS  TO  NIAGARA  FALLS. 

Rush  down,  thou  proud  torrent  of  the  mighty  West, 
Thy  work  is  not  done,  thou  mayest  not  yet  rest ;  . 
There 's  a  home  in  the  ocean  for  Erie's  proud  lake, 
Her  waves  are  in  motion,  thy  power  is  at  stake : — 
Dash  down  her  proud  waters  with  thunder  and  foam — 
Drive  them  into  spray,  until  she  goes  to  her  home. 

Jas.  S.  Maxson. 
June  28, 1850. 


Nai 


Th< 


:*      ■'■^- 


•f  attention 
eish  of  the 
ting  those 
lest  efforts 

f .  F.  N. 


lo,  6011  la 
ictivo,  in- 
s  Unidos. 

NEYSA. 


TABLE  ROCK  ALBUM. 


It  is,  indeed,  the  work  of  an  Almighty  hand, 
Fearfully  beautiful,  inspiring  grand! 


85 


Anon. 


A'n't  this  a  grand  place  for  washing  sheep  ? 

Yankee. 


Niagara  Falls — got  up  at  immense  cost,  for  the  exhibition  of 
Nature,  on  a  grand  scale. 

A  Stranger  in  America. 


ORSE. 


SOX. 


THE  LAST  SONG  OF  TABLE  ROCK. 

The  Rock  fell  June  28tb,  1850— nearly  the  cisntrai.  day  of  the  oentiui<  tear 

of  this  century. 

"SERMONS    IN   STONES." 

Give  ear,  oh  world !  my  hour  is  come ! 

And  I  will  speak  a  thunder  word — 
Shall  make  the  roaring  torrent  dumb, 

And  by  the  listening  earth  be  heard. 

My  hour  is  come ! — I  feel  it  now 
In  failing  grasp  and  trembling  knee. 

And  in  the  pressure  on  my  brow, 
And  gathering  drops  of  agony. 

The  angel  waits ;  and  I  must  soon— 

A  Titan  leaping  from  the  rock — 
Strike  loud  the  century's  passing  noon. 

As  with  an  earthquake's  reeling  shock. 

For  this,  I  have  in  silence  hung 
For  ages,  waiting,  watching,  here ; 

For  this  the  cataract  has  sung 
Its  syren  music  in  my  ear. 

"Why  fear  to  plunge?"  it  ftv. ;  said; 

'"Tis  bold,  r\\d  beautiful,  ana  free; 
Oh !  doep  m?]  ,>oft  my  foamy  bed — 

Come  ck.  ,:,  oh,  Rock!  and  dwell  with  me." 


86 


TABLE  ROCK    ALBUM. 


A  heart  of  stone,  to  such  a  song, 

For  ages  harped,  must  yield  at  length ; — 
A  grasp  of  flint  may  grapple  long, 

But  crumbling  age  will  steal  its  strcingth. 

From  Nature's  birth,  I  heard  the  sound 
Of  falling  waters  creeping  near, 

And  trembled  at  the  shock  profound 
Of  rocks  that  crashed  from  year  to  year. 

At  last,  I  saw  Niagara's  face, 
Its  bright  archangel  robe  and  crown. 

And  felt  the  breath  and  wild  embrace 
Of  floods  that  strove  to  drag  me  down. 

Still  up  I  stood,  a  steadfast  wall. 
And  held  my  forehead  proud  and  high, 

And  shook  with  laughter  at  the  Fall, 
Until  it  slowly  passed  me  by. 

Ha !  ha !  I  echoed  back  its  roar. 

And  shivered  with  a  strange  delight, 

To  think  that  Time  could  nevermore 
So  try  again  my  rocky  might. 

And  I  grow  happy  in  the  sound 

That  vainly  poured  its  tempting  song, 

And  while,  on  wooded  slopes  around, 
A  thoiisand  summers  swept  along. 

And  I  was  proud  to  bear  the  weight 
Of  Indian  monarchs  on  my  head. 

And  blest  to  feel  the  lovelier  freight 
Of  maidens  with  their  tender  tread. 

At  last,  there  came  the  iron  heels 
Of  those  who  fought  the  forest  sons; 

And  later  still,  the  grinding  wheels 
And  angry  roar  of  English  guns. 

A  few  years  more,  and  all  the  wild 
Grew  tame  with  shapes  of  man's  device 

Grod's  grandest  temple  was  defiled 
With  haunts  of  Pride  and  Avarice. 


TABLE  ROCK  ALBUM. 

And  yet  I  joyed,  that  on  my  head 
So  many  thousands  came  and  went; 

'T  was  good  to  hear  their  godlike  tread, 
Who  mused  of  Love  omnipotent. 

And  here  they  best  could  stoop  and  see 
An  emblem  of  the  rust  of  Time — 

A  symbol  great  of  Deity — 
An  imago  of  the  soul  sublime. 

And  I — ah !  who  can  boast  with  me 
The  pressure  of  so  many  hands — 

The  wise,  the  fair,  the  great,  the  free, 
And  pilgrims  from  a  hundred  lands. 

But  one  there  was,  of  lovely  mold. 

My  willing  brow  of  wreaths  would  rob ; — 

In  vain  for  her,  so  sweet  and  bold. 
My  pulse  a  moment  ceased  to  throb. 

She  heard  the  torrent's  witching  words — 
"Why  fear  to  fall?"  and  with  the  spell, 

As  shining  serpents  charm  the  birds, 

The  torrent  charmed — she  swooned  and  fell. 

And  one  there  was,  who,  in  the  night, 
For  grief  and  madness,  sought  my  brink, 

And  leaped  adown  the  fearful  hight — 
No  one  but  I  beheld  him  sink. 

Oh !  I  could  tell  a  thousand  tales 
Of  life  and  death,  of  woe  and  mirth. 

That  now  must  sleep  till  God  unveils 
The  secrets  of  the  air  and  earth. 

To-day,  am.  angel  o'er  me  stood — 

A  messenger  to  cast  me  down ; 
To-day,  the  thunder  of  the  flood 

Took  on  a  fierce  and  taunting  tone. 

"Why  fear  to  fall?"  it  growled  and  hissed; 

"  Will  you  endure  my  shaking  hate, 
The  buffet  of  my  furious  mist, 

Yet  fear  to  dash  me  with  your  weight? 


87 


..„ ,   .^ 


'm 


■lit 


in  ■ 


88 


TA.BLE   ROCK   ALBUM. 


"Why  fear  to  plunge? — the  strongest  fall, 
And  conquerors  und  empires  sink ; 

The  St.  rs  themselvrs  sbali  perish  all, 

Like  falling  leaves; — and  still  you  shrink. 

"Why  fear  to  drop? — at  latest,  soon 
You  must  in  earth's  destruction  melt; 

Oh!  strike  so  loud  the  century's  noon 
It  shall  from  star  to  star  be  felt!" 

I  fear  not,  oh  thou  roaring  tide ! 

I  dare  the  leap,  the  whirl,  the  shock ; 
And  now — and  now,  to  s^ame  thy  pride, 

I  come ! — a  Cataract  oi  Rock ! 

R.  W.  Parkbr, 
July  1st,  1B50.  Cayuga  Lake. 

TO  THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  CATARACT. 

Beneath  thy  torrents,  trembling  in  the  spray, 

I  feel  thy  spirit,  in  the  rushing  foam ; 
And  as  the  waters  fiercely  round  me  play, 

It  seems  as  if  we  had  familiar  i    "wn. 
Thy  kiss,  though  rude,  is  fresh  as  aewy  tears 

Distilled  from  roseate  clouds  at  twilight's  hour; 
I  have  no  thought  of  earthly  hopes  or  fears. 

Within  the  embrace  of  thy  majestic  power. 

Britton  a.  Hill. 


Majestic  monitor,  thy  ceaseless  war 

Thrills,  like  the  accents  of  another  sphere, 

As  fierce  and  fathomless  thy  waters  pour 
O'er  rocks  primeval,  in  their  mad  career, 

Warning  each  step  that  o'er  thy  banks  hath  trod. 

To  look  through  nature  up  to  nature's  God. 

W.  W.  Eramosa. 


I  look  on  th-?  Falls  of  Niagara  in  winter,  as  a  liquid  impres- 
sion of  Mount  Blanc ! 

B.  B. 


SB 

pi 
P' 

a 
d 


.i^'\'<l 

;...:^' 


, 


TABLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 


89 


From  Paris,  Ky.,  I  came  for  to  sec 

Thy  mighty  falls,  great  Niagaree; 

But  txx)  great  are  thy  wonders  for  rac  to  relate, 

So  I  '11  hasten  back  to  tell  my  sweet  Kate. 

J.  W.  C. 


To  render  praise  where  praise  is  due, 
Seek  ye  God's  wondrous  works  to  view ; 
Search  the  wide  world — thy  travel  done, 
Speak! — and  point  out  the  noblest  one. 
Almighty  power !  I  bend  in  fear, 
And  own,  thy  mightiest  work  is  here. 


All  hail,  Niagara!  thy  deafening  roar 
Bespeaks  thy  great  Creator's  sovereign  power ; 
Through  thy  great  voice  he  tells  his  creatures  here, 
To  view  his  mighty  works,  admire  and  fear, 
The  king  supreme  of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  sky, 
Whb  dwells  in  glorious  majesty  on  high ! 

W.  E.  B. 


# 


And  so  you  've  seen  this  mighty  wonder ; 
Heard  its  loud  hydraulic  thunder; 
Like  many  another  senseless  calf. 
Have  doubtless  scrawled  your  autograph ; 
And  now,  Sirree,  perhaps  you  '11  go 
Down  the  river  two  miles  or  so — 
Cross  the  bridge,  think  it  funny, 
Walk  your  chalks,  and  pay  your  money. 


R  V.  D 


He  recorrido  estas  hermosas  cataratas ;  la  una  de  lapte  Yngle- 
sa,  la  otra,  de  lapte,  Americana ;  une  parece  y.  ambas  se  contem- 
plan,  so  ndmiran  y  setemen,  como  las  dos  gd6s  Naciones,  a  q. 
pertenecen;  j  Plegue  alcieto  q.  la  desgraciada  Mexico;  Megue 
a  tal  ftltura  de  grandera  y  de  poder,  q.  sea  admirada  y  tcmida, 
de  su  poderosa  vecina! 

M.  Ma.  dk  Trazabal. 


V  >  ■*. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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90 


TABLE   BOCK  ALBUIT. 


I  have  visited  Niagara;  and  in  the  presence  of  the  "Water- 
Thunderer,"  I  fool  how  weak  is  man,  and  how  futile  are  his 
eflForts  to  describe  the  mighty  Cataract.  1  am  therefore  dumb; 
silence  must  now  be  more  eloquent  than  words.  One  word 
only  would  1  say : — I  have  visited  the  Falls  at  all  hours ;  I 
have  seen  her  misty  veil  shroud  her  solemn  beauties  in  the 
morning — have  beheld  the  glorious  sun  lend  his  bow — and 
stood  by  at  even,  when  the  last  lingering  glimpses  of  light 
from  the  sunken  sun  hung  over  her  with  beauty ;  but  to  see 
her  rightly,  you  4D.ust  view  her  by  the  pale  moonlight. 


I  Ve  seen  the  Falls  three  times  before^ 
And  want  to  see  them  three  times  more. 
Which  is  enough  according  to  my  mind, 
And  now  I  'm  going  to  look  at  them  behind. 

Johnny. 
Jvly  Bth,  1851.  ' 

^  .         NIAGARA'S  AGE.  ^ 

Thy  long  white  beard  proclaims  how  many  lonely  centuries 
thou  hast  sat  upon  thy  rocky  throne,  and  held  thy  rainbow 
sceptre  in  thy  hand ;  and  yet  age  has  not  cracked  thy  voice  or 
rendered  less  tuneful  one  note  of  thy  anthem;  nor  art  thou 
ut  all  childish,  although,  in  the  fall  of  Table  Rock,  but  a  little 
while  ago,  thou  lost  the  greatest  bump  of  thy  rocky  head,  and 
thy  life  currents  seem  to  gush  on  as  freely  and  as  wildly  as 
when  for  the  first  time  thou  shook  thy  infant  rattle  or  leaped 
first  into  the  abyss. 

F.  N.  Zabriskik. 


Great  Jerusalem  1  what  a  fall, 
"Take  my  hat,"  I  give  you  all. 

H.J.H.,  ^/Jony,  iV:  K 


t 


Y  para  que  todo  sea  admirable  y  grandioso  en  este  pais  de 
libertad  y  de  forodijio,  se  colocitS  tambien  en  61 !  0  Niagara 
sublime  I  el  supremo.     Hacedor  de  la  creacion. 

r  B..  lix  E.,  Matangas, 


0 


TABLE  BOOK   ALBUM. 


0] 


^ater- 

jre  his 

junib; 

word 

i-s;   I 

|n  the 

-and 

light 

see 

Is. 


, 


I 


From  Huron's  pine  clad  shore, 

From  Superior's  rocky  strand^ 

Niagara's  crested  torrents  pour, 

Touched  by  the  Eternars  hand. 

God  spake  the  waters  into  life 

And  bade  tlicir  voices  wild  proclaim, 
\  Above  the  petty  din  of  human  strife, 

;  His  dread  omnipotence  and  fame. 

Jonah  J.  Marvin,  Wi.^^ 

Tremendous  torrent,  foaming  sheet, 
Draw  back  thy  tftL  and  let  me  greet 
Thy  awful  face,  ^pad  would  know 
And  trace  thy  surges,  whence  they  go; 

•  Terrific  waves  a  rumbling  keep,  — 

They  leap  and  wash  thy  stony  feet, 
Then  mount  in  watery  mist  on  high, 
And  paint  young  rainbows  on  the  sky. 
Creation's  dawn  first  lisped  thy  birth, 
And  sent  thee  echoing  through  the  earth ; 
Old  ocean  stole  thy  given  name, 

'  *  "Mother  of  Waters;"  his  theme  again — 

Thy  maddened  waves  may  foam  and  roar. 
May  leap  and  dash,  as  in  days  of  yore; 
Till  time  shall  cease,  thou  shalt  not  wane, 
But  seemingly  writhe  on  in  pain. 

A.  L.  C K. 

Aug.  Itt,  1851. 

Tupper,*  where  slept  thy  soul,  that  could  not  see 
The  highest  grandeur  in  sublimity 
In  yon  majestic  works  of  power  divine. 
Chanting  God's  praise  in  thunder  tones  sublime? 
Vain  man — thou  canst  not  justly  speak  its  praise, 
In  silent  wonder  reverently  gaze ! 
And  humbly  bow  unto  the  power  on  high, 
Which  reared  this  wondrous  work  for  mortal  eye. 

*    :  J.  S.Byksk,  Mississippi. 

*^artin  F.  Tupper,  the  English  tourist,  said  there  was  tio  sublimity 
in  Niagara, 


I'il 

ivfJ 
it 


■^ 


92 


TABLB  BOOK   ALBT7H. 


Those  who  desire  to  immortalize  their  names, 
Come  here  and  tak9»a  pen  and  then  ransack  their  brains; 
I  own  it 's  curious  to  see 
How  smart  some  people  try  to  be, 
But  all  they  write  is  nought  but  trash ; 
Their  heads  as  void  of  sense  as  their  pockets  are  of  cash. 

E.  F.  P. 


0  THE  IROQUOIS'  "  THUNDER  OF  WATERS." 


Roll  on — most  grand  and  gorgeous  river,  roll ! 

Thou  art  an  impress  of  thy  great  Creator's  skill,  strength,  and 

And  seemest  'neath  this  summer  sky,  like  some  beacon  light 
In  the  spirit  land  that  warns  the  traveler,  and  leads  him 
Home  to  God,  his  maker. 

Below  thy  awful  brink,  wind  and  wave  I  see  in  strife, 
True  picture  of  the  struggles  of  our  mortal  life. 
Shine  on — sweet  mirror  of  the  lake's  wild  wandering  tides, 
Thou  showest  how  thin  the  veil  that  time  from  eternity  dividea 
Alas !  I  ne'er  again  may  visit  thee,  Oh !  wonder  of  the  world  I 
Then  amid  the  ''Thunder  of  thy  watecs"  my  last  farewell  is 
hurled. 

NoswiKTA,  Alexandria,  Va. 


Fixed  in  these  terrific  Falls — of  endless  years 
The  pillars  of  Eternal  plan  appears ; 
The  raging  storm  the  dashing  wave  defies, 
Built  by  architects  who  built  the  skies. 

Pkter  J.  Sullivan,  of  the  Cincinnati  bar. 


Niagara!   absorto  me  qued^  al  mirante,  y  solo  pude  decir 
solo  el  que  te  contemplar  conoce  tu  grandera! 

Y.  P.,  Hahana. 


n 


How  are  the  Falls  like  half  a  fish! 
Because  they  have  got  a  Gill  on  one  side. 


T.Giix, 


is; 


TABLE  BOOK   ALBUM. 

The  mighty  Falls  with  their  foam  and  roar, 
Speak  a  single  word  to  my  heart— "Adore!" 


93 


J.  P.  B. 


I  know  a  famous  word  that  rhymes  to  staggerer, 
Of  course,  I  mean  the  waterfall,  Niagara. 


Oh!  thou  great  structure  of  God's  hand, 

The  mighty,  great  and  falling  sheet 
That  greets  the  eye  of  every  man 

That  goes  behind  a  hundred  feet; 
Yes,  Niagara*s  falling  spray 

Is  a  wonder  to  the  world ; 
From  here  to  yonder,  where  you  may, 

Niagara's  name  is  ever  hurled. 

Chab.  W.  Hobart. 

0 

Why  did  the  Falls  of  Niagara  on  a  recent  occasion  appear 
more  beautiful  than  they  ever  did  before  ?  g|| 

Because  they  were  adorned  with  a  lovely  (haze)  Hayes, 
1852. 


.  P^ 


TO  NIAGARA. 


Alike  in  grandeur  and  in  beauty  you  rejoice 
But  most  I  'm  struck  with  admiration  of  your  voice ; 
This  makes  me  dumb,  for  even  flattery  is  dead. 
Where  nobody  can  hear  a  single  word  that 's  said. 

J.  J.  G.,  New  York. 


m 


Oh !  Niagara  no  puedo  espresar  las  emociones  y  senti  al 
ver  tus  caidas ;  y  creo  es  lo  mas  grandioso  que  puede  verse : 
hd  hecho  un  viage  de  Cuba  aquipr  verte  solmanto  y  vuebbo  a 
mi  patria  encantata  y  con  esperanze  de  volverte  &  ver. 

E.  Casanova,  Cardenas,  Cuba. 


Perpetual  motion,  but  not  the  work  of  man. 

R.  C.  McC. 


U4 


TABLE   BOOK   ALBUM. 


Niagara !  Nada  enia  escomparable  con  la  magnificencia  de 
estas  torrentcz.  Nengs  de  Europa  conde  he  parado  tres  aiid, 
y  no  me  queda  nada  que  Ner  en  ere  Niez  mundo.  Soi  nacia 
en  el  nuevo,  Gajo  la  infiuencia  del  calor  tropical.  En  un  lis- 
ton  del  gloro  Ni  la  luz;  Cuba  le  mi  patria;  Cuba  a  quien 
James  lehiereron  dano  las  influencias  politicas,  haita  hoi  que 
nadie  podri  fijar  cual  sea  su  porvenior!  Sobre  Cuba,  quien 
pudiera  darte  tu  felicidad  ccliprada!  yam  le  posible;  de  manos 
y  com  tu  Cuen  hijo  propenden^  a  que,  comerves  pr  siempre 
tu  estas  de  tranquilidad  unius  que  te  comviene.  No  te  que 
me  ha  camado  mat  dula  imprion,  si  tavita  de  esta  mara  im- 
muna  de  aquas  cayendo  intorrentez,  a  ceptacer  de  veordar  mi 
pain  tan  hemejante  a  cete  in  a  presente  my  sur  Corques,  suy 

I)rados,  suy  artiolez,  la  muneara  de  N6vir  dely  camperinos,  todo 
0  de  Cuba.  Cara  patria,  yo  vuelo  atee  sens,  may  hiento  haur- 
to  cviando  Uory.  El  que  conasca  miboria  sabra  a  que  aludo, 
Niagara. 

C.  C.  Y.  M. 


.^jBjIjk 


Eniriiraite  de  los  dos  pueblos  q.  arombran  al  mundo  con 
sur  progresor  materiales,  colocid  Dios  la  cascada  del  Niagara 
q.  es  la  mor  marasilla  del  mundo  material.  Ojala  comprendan 
ambos  y  partienlarmte  los  Anglo  Americanos  q.  la  providencia 
e  senalado  a  las  naciones  un  finmoral,  antes  q.  todo ;  y  q. 
puedon  ser  completante  felices,  si  no  son  honradaisy  repet- 
ras  de  Dios  y  dd  dereiho  de  los  demas  hombres. 
Table  Rock,  Junio  de  1852. 

Bartd.  Hirrkras. 


got 


sta 
foi 
no 
fiv 
br 


til 
F 
in 

CJ 

a] 
s^ 


II  n'y  a  pas  d^expresion 

Si  Pon  a  vu  de  shase  pareille 

II  faut  laissez  cela  pour  la  poet. 


H.L 


Mar  avilla  incomparable  de  la  natur  aleza ;  quien  no  amar& 
y  reconocer&  xlh  ser  supremo  y  durno  del  universo,  al  coatem- 
plar  tu  randa  comiente  precipit  an  dose  sublime  en  copos  de 
espuma  mas  blanca  que  la  niede!  1 

V      •   Ir  Ro.Jo.Do.    A.JB.12. 


i 


TABLK  BOCK   ALBUM. 


95 


Niagara,  I  have  n't  much  hat,  but  you  may  take  what  I  have 
got 

Harry  Wiiitdeck. 


"She's  all  my  fancy  painted  her."  After  an  upsyt  in  a 
stage-coach  with  the  Governor  of  Iowa,  I  am  fully  prepared 
for  the  beauties  of  *iy  other  fall.  Niagara  is  perhaps  the  best 
now  on  hand.  "What  a  scene! — and  what  a  place  to  spend 
five  hundred  dollars! — juicy  as  an  orange,  and  powerful  as  a 
brandy-smash  oft  repeated ! 

H.  Holt,  Iowa. 

Feb.  22. 1853. 


"  Oh  what  a  fall  was  there,  my  countr}'men ! "  but  whether 
the  allusion  is  intended  for  the  upset  in  the  stage-coach,  or  the 
Falls  of  Niagara,  I  am  not  prepared  to  say.  Either  are  all  that 
imagination  could  paint  them, — having  participated  in  both,  I 
can  add,  that  they  are  "all  that  heart  could  wish."  The 
allusion  to  brandy-smash,  however,  I  consider  somewhat  jt)^r- 
sonalf  having  participated  in  that  also. 

David  Olmstead,  Minnesota. 


Niagara,  can  man  look  on  thee,  and  say  "There  is  no  God?" 

L.  H.  C. 

• 

Niagara!     Sobertio  triumfador  del  tempo,  cano.    Loss  horn* 
bres  a?  contemplarte  esclamaran :  ;  Niagara,  eres ! ! 

Un  Cubano. 


Si  mucho  me  inspird  el  canto  de  sublime  ruisenor  Cubano 
Jos6  M.  Heredia  mucho  mas  me  sorperdi^  el  original!     El 


Niagara. 


JosB  Hernandez, 

Mtttanxat,  Cvba. 


**  Whorum  quorum  sapientia." 

"  Stbat  HoosiiB.** 


96 


TABLE   BOOK  ALBUM. 


if- 


De  cuanto  llevo  visto  nada  me  impuerto  tanto  como  la  bajada 
d  la  cataracta. 

B.V. 

_  « 


li:- 


i 


IMPROMPTU  LINES, 

Suggested  by  beholding  the  terrible  rapidii  and  oataraet,  OTer  which  th« 
unfortunate  Avery  waa  daahed. 

TO    NIAGARA. 

When  warriors  met,  and  battle's  roar 
Resounded  on  thy  hostile  shore, 
Above  the  pomp  and  trumpet's  blast, 
Thy  white-plumed  billows  high  and  fast 
Were  rushing  onward  at  thy  call, 
Thou  chief!  victorious  over  all; 
And  like  proud  steeds,  with  foaming  mane, 
They  plunge,  but  ne'er  shall  rise  again ; 
For  one  fierce,  overwhelming^hock 
Has  hurl'd  them  on  thy  battle-rock, 
While  o'er  them,  like  the  soldier's  sleep, 
Shall  rise  the  requiem  of  the  deep. 
Beneath  whose  snowy  bosom,  now 
Hath  shook  fore'er  their  crested  brow. 
On  which  no  hero's  wreath  can  bloom. 
But  insense  from  thy  ocean-tomb 
Will,  with  thy  voice,  forever  rise. 
In  memory  of  their  sacrifice, — 
Gaze  on,  proud  man,  and  here  behold 
The  high  and  great,  the  certain  goal 
Of  wild  ambition,  whose  mad  wave 
From  glory  hurries  to  the  grave : 
Here  wealth,  and  pOwer,  and  place,  and  all 
Most  prized  on  earth,  shall  see  their  fall 
Proclaimed  in  thunder-tones  afar 
By  thee,  invincible  Niagara. 
But,  oh !  the  blessed  hope  of  man, 
When,  o'er  thy  stormy  breast,  the  span, 
Whose  rainbow  hues,  when  evening  glow 
\  Thy  God  and  his  in  mercy  throws. 

Pointing  the  soul,  from  cloud  and  storm, 
To  Heaven,  its  ever-glorious  home:—  * 


la  n] 
habj 
mi 


qdl 
catl 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBUM. 


97 


a  bajada 
B.V. 


ehth* 


le, 


Yes,  when  that  poor  and  humble  one, 
Clung,  in  Life's  struggle  all  alone, 
To  his  frail  stay,  with  none  to  bless, 
His  eye  beheld,  e'er  in  thy  breast 
He  sunk  to  his  eternal  rest, 
The  rainbow-promise,  like  a  star. 
Shining  above  the  tempest  war — 
No  slow  disease,  no  lingering  death, 
But  swept  before  thy  Godlike  breath. 
With  one  fond  look  and  outstretched  arm; 
Immortal  now  he  has  become. 
His  tomb,  thy  white  and  spotless  wa^e, 
Thy  roar,  his  knell  above  the  grave. 

L.  Collins  Lee, 

Maryland. 

Cuantas  ideas  agitan  la  iraaginacion 
A  contemplar  lael  cristalinas  aguas 

Del  olivefero  Niagara, 
Solo  una  mano  omnipotente. 

PaNFELO   PlTOQEROyiOA, 

Cayo  HuoBco,  Cuba. 


all 


Quien  ;oh  sublime  Niagara!  oh  prodigoroso  maravilla  do 
la  naturaleza !  no  Joja  cru  tu  vita?  pero  que  podre  deciente 
habiendote  cantado  el  illustre  6  inportunado  pretu  Cubano? 
mi  compatriata  Flesedia ! 

EsTEBAN  Estrada, 

De  Bayamo  Yalade  Cuba. 

'     • 

Man's  mind  is  filled  with  earthly  thoughts  no  more. 
While  wrapt  in  mist  amid  Niagara's  mighty  roar. 

Michigan. 


w 


No  es  possible  que  exista  un  mortal  castante  presuntuoso 
qd  que  crea  poder  explicar  loque  se  sciente  quando  se  ve  la 
cataranta:  solo  Oteredia  ha  sido  su  digna  cantor. 

.  .     ■-    Jose  M.  Rivero, 
jL         '  Del  Habana. 


'98 


TABLE   BOCK  ALBUM. 


Son  tantas  las  ideas  que  sc  aglomeran  la  mi  mentc,  que  no 
68  posible!  oh  Niagara!  poder  innmft'star  tu  grandeya  y  sub- 
limidad  como  nusmo  tienipo  la  admiracioii  que  me  has  causado. 

S.    DEL   POYO, 

JIabana. 


Admirable  y  sorpendente, 
Es  del  Niagara  el  torrente, 
Que  desciende  en  su  Cascada, 
f       Y  solo  el  omnipotente, 

La  formd  tan  acabada. 

Ramon  Diaz, 
XaturaJ  del  principado  de  Asturiaa  y  luyar  de  Bier  cm. 


MY  MUSJNGSl 

Niagara,  the  great,  my  eye  rests  on 

Thy  snow-white  troubled  spray — ay,  rests  untired, 

Not  as  of  yore,  when,  thousand  leagues  away, 

Ideal  it  gazed,  measured  thy  expanse  o'er. 

Formed  lofty  scenes  and  grand,  then  longed  to  see 

The  picture  real.    I  own,  now  viewing  thee, 

Imagination  *s  spoiled  reality ! — 

And  yet  I  greet  thy  fascinating  power, 

But  not  thy  form,  nor  yet  thy  gorgeous  garb, 

Neither  thy  magnitude  my  mind  restrains : — 

Though  minus  both  the  first,  the  latter  thou 

Canst  boast ;  and,  e'en  in  that,  though  joined 

With  ragged  form,  there  is  sublimity, — 

It  is  thy  ceaseless  roar  entrances  me. 

So  emblematic  of  Eternity! 

Yet  mighty  as  thou  art,  my  mind  but  sees 

Thee  as  a  speck  of  His  unbounded  work 

Who  bids  the  world  (thou  art  of  which  a  part, 

A  fragment,  following  great  Nature's  law) 

Revolve  around  the  sun — that  sun 

The  point  round  which  a  thousand  worlds 

Perform  their  periodic,  circled  course. 

Forming  the  heavens.     One  may  the  many  seek 

That  doubtless  circumscribe  the  Heaven  of  Heavens  I 


■'■I 


TABLE  BOOK  ALBim. 


99 


ite,  que  no 
eya  y  sub- 
:i8  cnusado. 

YO, 
JIabana, 


XZ, 

e  JSierctu. 


itired, 
to  see 


ek 
eaveml 


Yco,  imagine  farther  still ! — where  %hall  wc  stop  ? 

What  art  thou,  then  ?     A  bubble !  drop !  speck ! 

An  atom  of  creative  power  compared ! 

Were  man  thy  framer,  then  astonished  I — 

Tho  work  with  man's,  on  equal  base  comparing, 

I,  aSi  a  man,  must  view  thee  with  amaze. 

And  yet  I  gaze ! — the  spell  has  magic  force ! — 

Though  through  my  brain  conceptions  gloomy  course. 

I  SCO  tho  sportful  waves  rush  heedless  on. 

Exalting  high  their  heads  of  pearly  spray, 

Kcgardlcss  of  the  dread  abyss  before, 

Tillon  the  brink ;  then  tremble,  helpless  plunge 

In  the  dark  gulf;  then  with  those  'ready  gone 

Commingle,  forming  one  continuous  stream. 

Are  hurried  to  the  ocean's  endless  wave. 

Yet,  perhaps  each  drop  that  falleth  o'er  thee  now, 

Viewless  being,  raised,  condensed,  again  shall  flow 

A  lengthy  course,  and  tumble  o'er  thy  brow, 

When  each  gay  one  here  has  passed  below ! 

A  stranger,  strange  I  view  the  motley  throng. 

From  every  nation  of  the  earth  impressed. 

The  center  there — a  loadstone  that  attracts 

Mankind.     For  what  ?     Answer,  ye  scenes  around ! 

Is  it  to  view  their  Maker,  through  His  works, 

Hence  form  exalting  ideas  of  His  power  ? 

Doubtless  with  some  'tis  so; — more,  more,  alas! 

To  kill  ennui — to  sport  as  butterflies 

In  all  the  gaudy  tinsel  of  a  day,    w 

Revel  in  pleasure  (kin  to  vice,  I  fear), 

And  culture  what  shall  cause  them  many  a  tear 

Surrounded  thus  by  Fashion's  votaries  gay, 

Thy  ceaseless  roar  vibrating  on  my  ears, 

Seems  tho'  Jehovah's*  voice  were  heard 

Pleading  in  thunder  mild,  to  those  drawn  here. 

To  pause,  to  think,  ere,  like  the  rushing  waves, 

Too  late  they  tremble,  plunge  into  their  graves, 

And  meet  their  final  Judge,  as  Pleasure's  slaves. 

Header,  judge  not  I  think  it  any  crime 

Thy  coming  hither  to  view  this  scene  sublime — 

Ah,  no !  't  is  good,  't  is  wise,  but  think  of  future  time. 

.  S.  F.  Ross. 


100 


TABLE   ROCK  ALBUM. 


J' admire  In'clnitc  dc  cettc  mnsse  d'  cau,  mais  sa  pens^e  sa 
sa  vue  r impression  qu'elle  produit  sur  mon  esprit  me  reporte 
sers  Dieu  (cet  ubyme  intinie),  et  la  me  perdant  dans  son  im- 
mensity, je  sens  mon  neant,  ct  j'  adore. 

E.    DUSAULX. 


"In  the  spring,"  I  purpose  coming  here  prepared  to  erect  a 
water-wheel  under  the  Falls,  that  shall  reach  from  Canada  to 
the  United  States.  The  shaft  is  to  be  made  of  iron,  sufficiently 
strong  to  bear  the  whole  sheet  of  water.  What  a  grand  water 
privilege!  In  this  act,  I  shall  immortalize  my  name.  I  am 
confident  I  can  get  power  enough  (when  brought  to  bear)  to 
turn  this  globe  the  other  way  upon  its  axis.  Then  we  shall 
have  a  different  revolution  of  things — the  sun  rising  in  the 
west  and  setting  in  the  east,  etc. 

D. 
Feb.  24, 1854 

Adias,  Canada, 
A  darte  venga  aqui  el  adias  pastrcro, 
Al  greto  de  To  patria  voi  lejero, 
El  lampo  del  honor,  ^ 

La  libertad  sapado, 
Defendern  mi  espado, 
Sin  rloidaz  te  amo. 

^^      CONDE   QUAN  DR   Coi   BaroA, 
^fjr Madrid. 

Subject  for  a  painter. 


Here,  rising  on  the  scene  sublime, 
Heaven's  sunbeams  tint,  with  hues  divine, 
The  gorgeous  torrent  and  its  spray. 
Passing  in  glorious  pride  away ; — 
Still  mingling  with  each  misty  shower — 
Rejoicing  in  each  glowing  hour — 
Embracing,  from  the  grateful  skies, 
Earth's  splendid  offering,  ere  it  dies  1 

CmNOAOHOO. 


■\  kr 


m 

3* 


TABLE  KOCK   ALBUM. 


101 


pens^e  sa 
me  reporte 
ins  son  im- 

)U8AULX. 


to  erect  a 
Canada  to 
sufficiently 
•and  water 
ne.  I  am 
o  bear)  to 
fi  we  shall 
i»g  in  the 

D. 


The  touters  ply, 

The  niggers  cry, 
The  Falls  to  take  you  under — 

"Oh  pray,  sir,  go — 

It 's  such  a  show ; 
Indeed,  I  '11  make  no  blunder." 

If  full  of  zeal, 

You  chance  to  feel, 
And  nerves  are  tightly  braced  up, 

Just  go  within, 

And  neck  and  shin 
Have  snugly  dressed  and  laced  up : 

Do  n't  mind  the  spray — 

There 's  light  of  day, — 
Besides  you  're  clothes  to  ^akc  in  * 

But  what  you  see ! — 

Oh  powers  that  be ! 
Was  there  ever  such  a  take  in  ? 


G.  C. 


Madrid. 


BOO. 


ON  VISITING  THE  NIAGARA  FALLS. 
By  the  Hon.  C.  If.  Vivian. 

Aw!tstruck  and  lost  in  silent  admiration, 
I  stand  and  gaze  upon  thy  rushing  waters. 
Mighty  Niagara,  no  sportive  stream  art  thou ; 
Thy  very  thunder  mocks  such  poor  comparison. 
And  to  my  wildered  ear,  thy  deafening  roar 
Makes  my  heart  quail  with  its  own  littleness. 
Oh,  mighty  grandeur!  who  can  silent  gaze 
Upon  thy  verdant,  angry  foaming  spray, 
And  not  feel  touched  with  the  sublimity 
Of  such  a  scene.    Magnificent ! — pouring  forth 
Living  streams  of  glittering,  liquid  light 
Down  from  thy  dizzy  verge  in  vapor  fathomless, 
Faint  Memory  cannot  sketch  thy  mighty  grandeur, 
Awful  Niagara!  nor  could  the  muse  with  justice 
Half  describe  thy  majesty.     But  he  who  doubts 
There  is  a  God,  let  him  but  gaze  one  moment 
From  thy  giddy  height,  and  listen  to  the  roar 
Of  thy  engulfing  waters,  methinks  base  infidelity 
Would  shrink  amazed,  and  say  within  itself, 


,.^... 


102 


TASLE  ROCK   ALBUM. 


"Surely,  this  is  not  chance  which  thus  has  formed 
This  ocean  avalanche,  these  cloud-hung  cliflb 
Speak  of  some  mighty  hand,  and  herald  a  Creator." 
JS  or  could  he  lift  his  eyes  from  billows  far  beneath, 
But  he  would  shrink  aghast,  and  wondering  cry, 
"  Condemned  I  stand,  convinced  of  His  dread  power 
That  thus  could  mould  thi&  mighty  ornament." 
Albion  boasts  of  her  cliffs,  her  lordly  halls, 
,  Her  peasant's  homes,  her  old  cathedrals  where 
Kings  and  queens  lie  buried,  but  send  her  sons 
To  view  these  kingly  scenes,  and  gaze  upon 
Columbia's  mighty  rivers,  and  her  lakes 
That  mock  the  haughty  sea,  and  dash  their  waves 
Against  this  mammoth  land  where  freedom  dwells. 

April  12,  1855. 

» 

Niagara — always  majestic,  but  most  grand  and  lovely  in  the 
ice-bound  embraces  of  winter. 

J.  K  Whitney. 
Feb.  12,  1854. 


Que  horrible  hermosa  presentan  las  cataractas  del  Niagara. 


M. 


®ei  mtr  flegriig^  be«  jiungen  SQ3eItrctdb«  <2tolj  uub  3«<fbc  I 
3n  bfincm  JBrnufen,  —  ber  8ret()fit  S)onner  grotien  ! 
Umfonfi  jifmmt  fii^  bcr  5^el«  —  unteilltfl  feincr  SBurbC/ 
Der  (etrom  fuc^t  feme  SBatin,  —  be3  gelfen  Striimmer  ioKen. 
©0  jtebt  bic  5}ienf4)^elt  »ortoart0.  b»m  fernen  '^kkm, 
Unb  cr|i  na^  toilbem  Jtampfe  tointt  H)v  bed  ©rabcd  9tu^. 

<Sci  irn'r  geflriigt,  Xm  ^oxxtx  mut()'0er  Strom  ! 

2lu3  beinem  grlinen  ©btefiel  \txa\)H  mix  tti  Scbend  S3ilb 

Du  I'c^vtnGft  btc^  fii^n  ^munter  ^on  beinem  l;o^en  ^om^ 

@pTt)^jl  in  bte  Haue  Zii^t,  bte  toei§e  Qii\iS)t  i^er^itlU. 

Ztx  Wcnf4>,  bcr  tvagt  unb  ringt,  t^ut  manc^en  fu\)ntn  ©jjrunfl/ 

Unb  iiber  feiiie  3ufunft  liegt  bic^tc  SDcimmerung. 

®ei  ntir  fle0ru§t,  i\i  beiner  SMajeftat  unb  ^xa^t ! 
5Kit  fol^em  3'^nbrr  fcbmwdt  9irttur  nur  ^rflft  unb  SWut^. 
!JDfd  iyad^leiug  ©ilbcrtoeUen;  ber  @ee  in  9Wonbe«nac{)t, 
aSie  f^iaal  fmb  ibre  dtti^t  fieaen  beiner  gatbcn  ®luti> ! 
©mwaflbe  gieb'u  Ijinunter,  sDemanten  fleiflen  (jinauf, 
Unb  ^egenbogen  fpanncn  rot^golbne  fQxMtn  auf^ 


¥ 


TABLE   ROOK   ALBUM. 


108 


•med 

ator." 
leath, 

power 


'Bti  mfr  rtfflriift,  ber  Zxitb  m^  gref^tit  fii^ttc  mi(Sf  }u  Tix  j 

Sc|)  fr(;e  Tid)  unb  mrine  Ir^ten  3tveifel  fc^tointien  ! 

mjfr  iit(li)<it  t»Jll/  iiiu§  toaflfn,  gctflft  Du  ntir. 

8rif4)  »tfrtv^rt0  nuf  ber  iBnt)n,  tad  3iel  tvirb  {ic^  f(!(>on  finbcn  ! 

©or  9i<n(fcrbunft/  Jtrftriiljt  im  gall,  nl«  leertr  <54>aum, 

SUad  ni(t)t  brr  ))rlifim0  ^robe  mt,  if)  nur  ttneitUr  llraum. 

9l(aflflrrt  galU,  ben  29.  SWd  1851. 


IS 


aves 
jvells. 


GhH  unb  bie  Qrcii^tit  uigen  fid^  in  ber  SHaiwx, 

Drum  (tirt  in  birftit  93ribcn  ber  frcie  ®rtfi  ben  <S6)'6p^tx  nur. 


3uU  18.  1851. 


%xan^  van  ^atotn* 


ly  in  the 

[TNEY. 

iagara. 
M. 


f 


n. 


9{i(i0Arrt  ifi  cin  d<tr  grower  <Strom 
SBid  Nnbcrt  aJIeilen  too^i  lana- 
!C{«0  Dorf  ()itr  ii^  fag*^  (uc^  opne  ^ol^n 
3{l  (in  Xorf^  tvie^d  Corner  und  befang. 

Xi«  S4)rtfe  ber  Sllten  fe^Ien  und  ^ier, 
Xie  %\nUti  tc^  fiiaen  ben  Vla^  ^ier  fur  fie. 
Xer  %Ut  f^enfi  a\x^  ein  trefflti^  ®la«  S3ier, 
(&an)  mab  gleic^  jwar  nici^t^  botii  ift  er  fein  $Biel^. 

Der  ^immcl  ifl  Uau,  ba«  SDkffer  tfl  nrtfi, 
(Sd  grnnurt  bie  <Sa\i,  ber  SlAnfee  ift  blaf. 
Vtt  ^errgott  ifl  Wx,  teie  tiberaU, 
di  f(^»ebrt  fein  ®eifi  av^  iiber  ben  Sad. 

:6pning  f8(umauet« 

Wirtgfltrt  3rtn«,  21.3ttU1851. 


ne, 


m 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS 


AND  THE  SCENERY  ADJACENT. 


INTRODUCTION. 


It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  publication  to  furnish  the  tourist 
Kvith  a  guide  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara.  Books  with  this  object 
are  already  as  numerous  as  the  routes  which  they  describe : 
besides,  in  these  days  when  steamboats  and  railroad  cars  are 
every  where  so  abundant,  the  traveler  can  have  no  difficulty  in 
reaching  his  destination,  without  the  aid  of  a  "  Guide  Book," 
provided  he  can  make  himself  intelligible  to  the  people  whom 
he  encounters  on  his  journey,  and  have  money  enough  to  pay 
for  his  passage.  We  intend  to  accompany  him  only  while  he  is 
at  and  around  the  Falls,  and  to  point  out  to  him,  in  as  concise 
and  explicit  terms  as  possible,  the  different  objects  which  are 
usually  deemed  most  worthy  of  the  stranger's  observation ;  at 
the  same  time  giving  a  brief  outline  of  the  peculiar  features 
of  the  more  remarkable  of  these  objects.  Description,  properly 
so  called,  will  not  be  attempted ;  because,  at  best,  it  would  only 
be  an  unsuccessful  attempt.  It  might  be  easy  enough  to  write 
a  voluminous  essay  in  "prose  run  mad;"  or  indite  a  poem — 
if  we  possessed  that  gift — about  the  Falls :  but  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other  would  be  at  all  descriptive  of  the  scene.  Niag- 
ara is  itself  a  poem  of  God's  own  mt&ing,  and  written  comment 
on  its  characteristics  can  convey  no  idea  whatever  of  them  to 
those  who  have  not  traced,  with  their  own  eyes,  the  finger  of 
the  Almighty  Author  in  this  stupendous  work  of  His  creative 
power.  It  is  beyond  the  reach  alike  of  delineation  and  analysis; 
and  he  who  reads  all  the  other  books,  and  ours  into  the  bargain, 
which  profess  to  describe  the  Falls,  will  know  as  little  about 
them,  after  all,  as  if  he  had  never  read  a  word  on  the  subject 
•—let  him  come  and  see/ 


SKETCHES  OF   NIAGARA   FALLS. 


105 


THE  CRESCENT,  OR  BRITISH  FALL. 

We  shall  so  far  depart  from  established  custom  in  treating 
on  this  subject,  as  to  plunge  at  once  in  medias  res — not  a-la 
Sam  Patch,  however,  but,  in  plain  English,  we  shall  commence 
with  our  remarks  at  the  Falls  themselves — the  great  centre  of 
attraction,  and  diverge,  as  fancy  or  caprice  may  suggest,  to  the 
objects  of  subordinate  interest  around. 

It  matters  little  from  what  quarter  or  by  what  route  the 
tourist  may  come,  he  must,  either  in  the  first  place,  or  subse- 
quently, perch  himself  on  the  Table  Rock ;  and  notwithstanding 
all  the  rules — diflFering  from  each  other,  according  to  the  varying 
tastes  of  individuals — which  have  been  laid  down  as  to  the  best 
point  from  which  to  take  a  first  view,  it  will,  in  general,  be  found 
to  be  of  little  or  no  consequence  whether  he  take  up  his  position 
now  or  afterwards  at  this,  that,  or  the  other  place.  Whoever 
comes  to  the  Falls  in  search  of  a  startling  first  impression,  will 
undoubtedly  make  the  nearest  approach  to  the  object  of  his 
search  by  giving  the  preference  to  the  view  from  the  Table 
Rock;  but  generally,  if  not  invariably,  the  first  impression  is 
one  of  partial  disappointment.  Many  a  garnered  stock  of  poetry 
and  anticipated  enthusiasm  has  the  first  view  of  the  Falls 
swept  away ;  and  though  affectation  may  crack  its  jaws  in  giving 
utterance  to  all  the  rumbling  polysyllables  expressive  of  amaze- 
ment in  the  dictionary,  it  is  affectation  nevertheless.  Let  the 
man  who  gives  vent  to  such  exclamations  as  "  how  grand ! " 
"how  terrible!"  &c.,  when  he  first  plants  his  foot  on  the  Table 
Rock,  go  home  at  once,  and  attend  to  the  business  of  measuring 
pennyworths  of  tape,  or  any  other  equally  prosaic  occupation, 
to  which  he  may  have  an  especial  calling.  He  has  evidently 
anticipated  nothing — there  is  none  of  the  enthusiasm  which  he 
affects  in  his  composition — he  has  come  to  see  the  sight,  because 
it  is  the  fashion.     "Home,  home,  1  say !" 

Now  there  is  no  paradox  in  this  at  all,  because  if  anticipation 
has  been  busy  previously  to  arriving  here,  the  very  process  of 
demolition  which  the  fancy  picture  of  the  Falls  must  necessa- 
rily undergo  in  the  presence  of  the  dread  reality,  will  occupy 
th«^  mind  to  the  exclusion  of  those  feelings  of  amazement  and 
terror  which  the  scene  is  so  well  calculated  to  inspire.  It  may 
be  argued  that  this  cannot  be  the  case,  inasmuch  as  the  reality 
far  surpasses  all  that  could  have  been  anticipated ;  but  it  should 
be  remembered  that  the  mind  cannot  easily,  and  at  once,  forego 
its  own  long  indulged  conceptions — they  have  become  part  and 


106 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAOAKA    FALLS. 


parcel  of  itself;  and  tlic  act  of  dissipating  cherished  visions 
must  in  some  degree  unhinge  the  mind  for  a  moment,  and  in- 
capacitate it  for  comprehending  at  once  the  full  mejisure  of  p 
new  and  magnificent  idea.  The  wonder  is  so  great  that  our 
anticipation  should  have  been  so  different  in  kind  from  the 
reality,  that  we  only  partially  realize  at  first  the  diflference  in 
degree  of  magnificence ;  and  it  is  not  until,  by  protracted  con- 
templation of  the  reality  the  picture  sketched  by  fancy  is 
forgotten,  that  the  full  glory  of  this  sleepless  concentration  of 
might  and  majesty  bursts  on  our  astonished  senses.  Thus  it 
is,  that  disappointment  is  in  most  cases  the  feeling  with  which 
the  Falls  are  first  beheld  by  the  stranger — his  attention  is  dis- 
tracted and  bewildered  between  his  own  receding  dreams  of 
Niagara,  and  the  unimagined  sublimities  of  the  actual  scene 
itself,  gradually  developing  themselves  before  him.  We  should 
hold  it  as  being  generally  true  that  he  who  is  not  more  or  less 
disappointed  with  the  Falls  when  they  strike  his  eye  for  the 
first  time,  from  whatever  point  he  views  them,  is  incapable  of . 
appreciating  the  glories  of  the  scene,  which  only  gradually 
appear  to  the  eye  of  contemplation.  He  has  seen  all  that  he 
can  see  of  the  sight;  therefore,  after  having  uttered  all  the 
unmeaning  exclamations  which  are  patent  at  this  place,  let  him 
refresh  himself  with  a  glass  of  brandy  and  water  at  the  bar — 
if  indeed  his  poetical  ejaculations  have  not  already  sprung  from 
that  source,  rather  than  from  surveying  the  wonders  of  nature 
— and  then  hie  him  home  with  all  convenient  speed  to  his  shop; 
and  let  him  never  come  back,  unless  he  has  a  wife  and  children 
to  bring  with  him  the  next  time. 

If  it  were  possible  in  these  days,  when  the  "  school-master 
is  abroad,"  for  a  person  to  light  accidentally  on  the  Table  Rock, 
without  having  previously  read  or  heard  of  the  Falls  of  Niagara, 
he  might  legitimately  indulge  in  the  tropes  and  figures  of  as- 
tonishment ;  because  he  would  not  experience  the  feeling  of 
disappointment  to  which  allusion  has  been  made.  But  would 
he  do  so  ?  Assuredly  no.  His  emotions  would  be  those  of 
intense,  unutterable  terror,  and  amazement;  and  the  idea  of 
expressing  them  by  words  would  not  for  a  moment  occur  to 
his  imagination.  The  "how  beautiful !"  of  the  boarding-school 
miss,  the  "how  sublime!"  of  that  unfledged  poetical  law  or 
divinity-student,  and  the  "  Oh,  my  God ! "  of  Mrs.  Fanny  But- 
ler, are  all  "leather  and  prunella" — the  quintessence  of  absur- 
dity and  affectation.  .' 


SKETCHES   OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


107 


But  this  is  a  long  digression,  besides,  perhiips,  h  violation  of 
the  rules  Imd  down  in  the  introduction. 

Well,  you  are  on  the  Table  Rock — say  for  the  firHfc  t'.nric. 
There  is  a  view  before  you,  such  as  has  no  parallel  in  the  V/Oild. 
At  fii-st,  if  you  have  !  mi  dreaming  of  the  Falls  liifore  your 
arrival,  you  will  probably  say  bah !  to  this ;  but  do  n't  be  iu  a 
hurry.  Wait  till  your  dream  has  vanished — evaporated  in  thin 
air;  and  then  say,  if  you  can,  how  immeasurably  beneath  the 
truth  your  highest  imaginations  were.  The  vastness  of  the 
volume  of  water — its  great  breadth  especially — and  the  impen- 
etrable clouds  of  foam,  which,  rising  from  the  fathomless  gulf 

'  below,  envelop  and  conceal  from  your  view,  perhaps,  nearly 
half  the  altitude  of  the  cataract,  detract  materially  from  the 
apparent  altitude.  It  is,  by  the  way,  in  r(;gard  to  this  deterior- 
ation of  the  apparent  height,  or  rather  depth — for  it  is  at  the 
bottom  where  the  concealment  is — that  the  feeling  of  disap- 
pointment spoken  of  is  in  the  greatest  degree  experienced.    But 

.  look  again  and  again.  Perhaps  the  best  way,  if  you  have  nerve 
enough,  is  to  prostrate  yourself  flat  on  the  edge  of  the  precipice, 
and  look  down,  and  down,  till  you  are  giddy  with  terror — nay, 
not  terror  either,  but  some  undelinable  feeling  for  which  lan- 
guage has  no  appropriate  name.  But  in  this  case,  be  sure  that 
you  have  some  person  to  hold  you  by  the  feet.  It  is  otherwise 
a  dangerous  experiment,  especially  if  you  are  of  an  excitable 
temperament  In  such  circumstances  a  mysterious  fascination 
will  come  over  you,  if  you  gaze  too  long,  and  you  will  feel  an 
irresistible,  impulse  to  spring  into  the  dread  abyss — there  to 
sport  amid  the  rainbow  glories,  and  wrestle  with  the  incompre- 
hensible terrors  of  the  "secret  deep."  This  is  no  ideal  expo- 
sition of  the  sensations  felt  in  making  this  experiment.  The 
writer,  in  company  with  others,  has  tried  it  again  and  again ; 
and  the  result  has  invariably  been  as  above  described.  But 
even  standing  erect,  you  will  find  the  scene,  if  you  keep  your 
eye  steadily  fixed  on  any  one  feature  of  it,  growing  in  beauty 
and  grandeur  as  you  gaze.  The  cataract  in  general  presents 
one  expansive  shdiet  of  foam  rushing  on  and  on,  for  ever  and 
ever,  except  where  the  water  is  deepest,  and  there  the  mighty 
torrent,  imbued  with  vermilion  as  intense  as  it  is  unvarying, 
pours  itself  down  with  a  calmer,  but  far  more  impressive 
majesty,  conveying  the  idea  that  the  power  which  shakes  the 
solid  rocks  under  your  feet,  hath  its  throne  and  its  sanctuary 
there,  and  there  alone.    There  may  be  beauty  "unspeakable 


r:. 


108 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAOABA  FALLS. 


and  full  of  gloi-y  "  in  the  prismatic  arch  which  spans  the  restless 
ocean  beneath,  and  fancied  mysteriousness  in  the  clouds  of  spray 
that  are  ever  and  anon  rising  in  spiral  columns,  and  rolling 
nway  ai^  away  over  the  otherwise  cloudless  expanse  of  the 
a/iUre  heaven,  but  it  is  in  that  ever  living  rush  of  deep  green 
waters  that  the  omnipotence  of  Him  who  holds  them  in  the 
hollow  of  his  hand,  is  most  vividly  typified. 

Pshaw ! — We,  too,  are  getting  poetical,  notwithstanding  our 
recorded  determination  to  the  contrary;  but,  situated  as  wo 
are,  on  a  chair  which  is  rocking  under  us,  with  the  table  on 
which  we  write  trembling  visibly  before  us,  and  the  ceaseless 
thunder  of  Niagara  booming  at  the  lone  hour  of  midnight  in 
our  ears,  how  can  we  help  it  ?  In  such  circumstances  even  an 
oyster  would  be  a  poet !  Wait  till  daylight,  and  then  we  will 
come  down  from  the  clouds,  and  talk  of  matters  of  fact. 

Well,  then,  the  great  cataract,  called  the  **  Horse  Shoe  Fall," 
though  the  name  is  not  now  descriptive  of  its  form,  is  before 
you.  The  idea  of  altitude  is  completely  lost  in  that  of  velocity 
and  powen  The  tremendous  force  of  this  mighty  torrent  is 
especially  manifested  in  the  quivering  of  the  pillared  rocks  be- 
neath your  feet,  and  the  perceptible  vibration  of  the  earth  for 
miles  around.  But,  in  the  absence  of  any  power  of  description 
of  our  OAvn,  we  subjoin  an  article,  which  contains  some  statistical 
information  respecting  this  "  wonder  of  nature,"  copied  from  the 
Album  kept  at  the  Table  Rock. 

"  iN'ever  shall  I  forget  the  intense  anxiety  with  wbich.  I  anticipated 
the  sight  of  Niagara  S'alls,  and  Rtill  less  the  awful  moment  when  I  fir8t 
belield  the  mighty  cataract  displayed  before  me. 

"  To  enjoy  this  moment,  I  bad  made  great  sacrifices,  and  encountered 
some  difficulties.  I  had  not  only  protracted  my  absence  from  home,  but 
increased  my  distance  from  it  some  hundred  miles.  Ample,  however, 
was  my  recompense.  I  had,  in  the  course  of  my  life,  beheld  some  of 
the  most  celebrated  scenes  in  nature — Etna  and  Vesuvius,  the  Ande.«i, 
almost  at  the  highest  point  of  elevation,  Cape  Horn,  rugged  and  bleak, 
buffeted  by  the  southern  tempest,  and  last,  though  not  least,  the  long, 
heavy  swell  of  the  Pacific ;  but  nothing  I  have  ever  seen,  or  imagin(<d, 
can  compare  with  the  Falls  of  Niagaba.  * 

"  My  first  Sensation  was  that  of  exquisite  delight  at  having  before 
me  tlie  greatest  wonder  of  the  world.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  this 
feeling  was  immediately  succeeded  by  an  irresistible  sensation  of  mel- 
anclioly.  Had  this  not  continued,  it  might  have  been  attributed  to  the 
complete  gratification  of  "  hope  deferred; "  but  so  far  from  diminishing, 
the  more  I  gazed,  the  stronger  and  deeper  the  feeling  became.  Yet,  this 
sense  of  sadness  wag  strangely  mingled  with  a  kind  of  IntozicatiLg 
fascination.    Whether  the  production  of  such  a  feeling  is  peculiar  to 


SKETCHES   OF   NIAOABA   FALLS. 


109 


Niagara,  I  know  not;  but  certainly  it  has  been  generally  observed  that 
the  spirits  are  affected  and  depressed  in  a  singular  manner  by  the  magic 
influence  of  this  stupendous  cataract. 

"About  five  miles  above  the  Falls,  the  river  expands  to  the  dimun* 
sions  of  a  lake;  after  which  it  gradually  narrows.  The  Rapids  coin* 
monce  at  the  upper  end  of  Ooat  Island,  which  is  half  a  mile  in  length, 
.and  divides  the  river,  at  the  point  of  preciuitation,  into  two  unequal 
parts — the  larger  of  which  is  distinguishea  by  the  several  nanieu  of 
"  Horse  Shoe,"  "  Crescent,"  and  "  British  Fall,"  from  its  semi-circular 
form  and  contiguity  to  the  Canadian  shore;  the  smaller  is  named  the 
"American  Fall."  A  portion  of  this  Fall  is  divided  by  a  rock  from 
Goat  Island;  and  though  here  insignificant  comparativuty,  this  portion 
would  rank  high  among  European  waterfalls.  The  height  of  the  Uritish 
Fall  is  175  feet,  and  its  breadth,  in  one  unbroken  stream,  is  700  yards. 
The'  extremity  of  Goat  Island,  which  separates  the  cataracts,  is  320 
yards  in  breadth.  The  American  Fall  is  370  yards  in  breadth,  and  IGU 
feet  high — making  the  total  breadth  nearly  1,400  yards.  I  must  not 
omit  to  mention  that,  though  the  bed  of  the  rftrer  sinks  to  so  great  a 
depth,  the  level  of  the  circumjacent  land  continues  nearly  the  (!>ame  as 
above  the  Falls. 

"  The  quantity  of  water  which  rushes  over  at  the  cataracts  is  thus 
computed  by  an  American  traveler;  •  The  river,  at  the  ferry  below  the 
Falls,  is  seven  furlongs  wide,  and,  on  an  average,  250  feet  deep.  The 
current  runs  about  six  miles  an  hour;  but,  supposing  its  velocity  to  bo 
only  five  miles  an  hour,  the  quantity  of  water  which  passes  the  Falls  in 
that  space  of  time,  would  be  more  than  85,000,000  of  tons  avoirdupois. 
If  we  estimate  it  at  six  miles  an  hour,  the  quantity  will  be  more  than 
102,000,000,  and  in  a  day  would  exceed  2,400.000,000  tons.' 

"  My  object  being  to  approach  as  close  to  the  Cataract  as  possible,  I 
descended  the  bank  by  a  steep,  winding  path,  to  a  narrow  slip  which 
forms  the  immediate  margin  of^the  river.  Along  this  I  advanced  about 
a  hundred  yards,  till  I  af  rived  at  the  very  edge  of  precipitation.  A  per- 
son may  at  this  point  place  himself  within  an  inch  of  the  Cataract,  and 
dip  his  hand  into  the  water.  Proceeding  a  little  farther  in  the  direction 
of  the  stream,  I  came  to  a  kind  of  corkscrew  ladder,  constructed  round 
a  column,  to  enable  travelers  to  descend  to  a  path  by  which  they  gain 
ihe  lower  part  of  the  Cataract,  and  have  a  magnificent  view  upwards. 

"  In  the  evening,  I  again  visited  the  Cataract  to  behold  it  by  moon- 
light Taking  my  seat  on  a  projecting  rock,  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  Falls,  I  gazed  till  my  senses  were  almost  entirely  absorbed  in  the 
contemplation  of  this  most  magnificent  scene.  Although  the  shades 
of  night  increased  the  sublimity  of  the  prospect,  and  '  deepened  the 
raurinur  of  the  falling  flood,'  the  moon,  in  placid  beauty,  shed  its  soft 
infidtbco  upon  the  mind,  and  mitigated  the  terror  of  the  scene.  The 
tlmnTlers  which  bellowed  fiom  the  abyss,  and  the  brilliancy  of  the. 
faliiiis<  waters,  which  glistened  like  molten  silver  in  the  moonlijjlit, 
Ht'eined  to  exhibit  in  absolute  perfection  the  rare  union  of  the  beautiful 
and  sublime.  • 

"Thomas  Day." 


i  ■'; 


■•'« 


110 


SKETCnES   OF   NIAOABA    FALLS. 


TERMINATION  ROCK. 

You  have  looked  down ;  but  the  half  has  not  yet  been  seen 
— you  must  go  down ;  not  indeed  into  the  gulf,  unless  you  ai'e 

"  Crazed  with  care,  or  croBs'd  in  hopeless  love," 

but  under  the  "  great  falling  sheet  of  water,"  as  the  handbill 
expresses  it.  To  have  stood  and  gazed  on  a  mighty  ocean  of 
water  rushing  innocuously  over  your  head,  will  be  something 
to  tulk  of  in  all  your  after  days ;  and  if  you  perform  the  feat, 
you  will  be  furnished  with  a  certificate  to  that  effect,  under  the 
hand  of  Mr.  liarnett,  the  guide,  assuring  all  and  sundry  whom 
it  may  concern,  of  the  fact.  Before  going  on  this  voyage  of 
discovery,  however,  you  have  a  metamorphosis  to  undergo. 
You  must  strip  "mpiiris  naturaiibus;"  but  don't  be  startled 
— you  do  not  go  down  into  the  great  deep  in  this  state  of 
primitive  nudity.  liarnett  has  an  ample,  though  grotesque, 
waidrobe  for  your  especial  use,  from  which  you  may  select 
fitting  equipment  for  the  occasion.  There  are  dressing-rooms 
too,  as  well  as  dresses ;  and  if  you  are  a  lady,  you  will  have 
one  of  your  own  sex  to  wait  upon  you  at  your  toilette.  You 
will  look  rather  odd,  to  be  sure,  in  your  oil-cloth  habiliments 
and  straw  bat;  but  never  mind — "beauty  is,  when  unadorned, 
adorned  the  most."  You  will  also  have  an  experienced  guide 
to  accompany  you  "within  the  veil." 

Your  path  is  somewhat  circuitous  certainly ;  but  it  is  a  good 
and  safe  one  nevertheless,  providing  your  guide  is  an  experi- 
enced one.  From  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  is  a  shelving  decli- 
vity over  immense  rocks  and  fragments  of  limestone  down  to 
the  river.  After  you  get  down,  there  is  a  footpath  by  which 
you  can  reach,  with  perfect  safety,  the  end  of  your  journey, 
appropriately  named  "Termination  Rock."  Never  mind  the 
projecting  cliflTs,  frowning  in  terrible  grandeur  high  over  head, 
on  the  one  side,  nor  the  fathomless  gulf  of  turbulent  waters  on 
the  other.  You  may,  of  course,  and  you  ought,  to  look  and 
wonder  at  both;  but  you  need  not  be  frightened,  for;i|[you 
keep  by  the  guide  you  are  perfectly  safe,  and  if  you  are  nISlrvous 
he  will  take  care  of  you.  Pay  no  regard  to  the  spray ;  it  makes 
a  good  shovver-bath  for  the  benefit  of  your  health.  Your  silk 
or  satin  dress,  you  know,  is  in  no  danger  of  being  spoiled. 
Your  curls  may  get  a  little  discomposed ;  but  what  of  that  ? 
You  will  see — but  why  should  we  attempt  to  describe  what 
you  will  see.   There  would  be  just  as  much  sense  in  a:oing  out 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA   FALLS. 


Ill 


with  a  land  surveyor's  chain  to  measure  the  extent  of  the  uni- 
verse, or  in5)rofessing  to  compute  the  cycles  of  eternity  by  the 
vibration  of  a  pendulum,  as  iu  trying  to  describe  the  scene  on 
Termination  Rock.  Perhaps  we  cannot  better  supply  the  want 
of  a  description  of  that  which  is  indescribable,  than  by  giving 
place  to  the  following  little  bit  of  autobiography  from  the  pen 
of  one  who  seems  to  have  exhibited  a  tenacity  to  the  rock 
which  would  do  honor  to  our  friend,  the  oyster,  mentioned 
above : — 

"  Being  nndor  the  'Sheet  of  Water,'  a  few  days  ago,  with  a  gentleman, 
and  observing  a  tolerably  Hrauoth  surface  of  rock,  I  waa  seized  with  u 
desire  of  cutting  my  name  upon  it.  My  companion  endeavored  to  dis- 
suade me  from  the  attempt,  as  being  one  attended  with  mucJi  difliculty 
and  some  danger — the  latter  arising  from  exposure  to  wet  for  so  long  a 
time  as  would  be  necessary  to  accomplish  the  tisk.  I  determined,  how- 
ever, to  persevere;  and  having  obtained  tools  this  morning,  (August  2, 
1835,)  I  entered  alone,  and  commenced  my  work.  I  did  not  expect  to 
accomplish  the  whple  at  one  visit;  and  therefore  left  the  initials  of  my 
christian  names,  with  the  date,  for  another  time;  but  I  succeeded  in 
cutting  the  other  letters  legibly  three  inches  long.  The  depth  of  them 
I  purpose  increasing,  as  well  as  adding  the  date  of  the  year,  with  the 
remaining  letters — having  found  it  impossible  to  accomplish  the  whole 
at  one  visit  I  staid  a  full  hour  behind  the  water.  1  have  carefully 
examined  the  rocks  behind  the  great  '  Sheet  of  Water,*  and  find  no 
indications  of  carving.  I  can,  therefore,  confidently  assert  that  mine  is 
the  first,  and,  at  this  date,  tiie  only  name  to  be  found  there;  and  while 
in  the  neigliborhood  of  the  Falls,  eveiy  pillar,  rail,  staircase,  seat,  rock 
and  tree  is  covered  with  names,  mine  sUinds  alone! 

"August  3. — My  desire  of  yesterday  is  fulfilled  :  and  I  have  been 
again  under  the  'Sheet  of  Water,'  to  finish  cutting  my  name  in  the 
rock.  The  direction  of  the  wind,  tliough  causing  nie  some  obstruction, 
amply  repaid  me  during  my  momentary  periods  of  rest,  by  occasionally 
openmg  in  part  the  silver  curtain  of  tue  waters,  and  exhibiting  the 
foaming  tide  below,  as  it  eddied  around  the  sun-lit  rocks.  There  was  the 
Table  Rock  above,  with  people  walking  on  it  like  mere  specks  in  the 
light,  the  cliffs  and  the  woods  all  arrayed  in  the  splendor  of  a  noon-tide 
sun;  and  then  the  veil  was  closed,  and  I  was  shut  out  from  the  world 
— left  in  utter  solitude. 

"Fellow-travelers,  who,  like  me,  come  to  view  scenes  surpassing  all 
others  in  grandeur  and  sublimity,  do  not  leave  without  going  under  the 
'Sheet  of  Water.'  Take  the  advice  of  one  who  has  endeavored  to  study 
nature  in  all  her  varying  moods.  The  way  is  safe;  the  entrance  only  is 
startling.  Danger  there  is  none.  If  you  have  any  enthusiasm  in  your 
composition,  you  will  be  gratified— enchanted;  if  you  have  not,  you 
deserve  to  be  disappointed. 

"  D.  T.  EDGEaTON,  London,  England.'* 

It  is  something  to  have  been  "  within  the  veil "  at  any  time ; 
but  he  who  has  not  penetrated  the  mystery  in  winter  knows 


m 


■W- 


!:• 


112 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA   FALLS. 


"it  only  in  part  At  that  season  of  the  year,  you  are,  of  course, 
not  very  hkely  to  emulate  Mr.  Edgerton ;  nor  is  it.  at  all  prob- 
able that  you  will  stay  lon^r  enough  to  make  a  poem  on  the 
scene  around  you.  It  is  cold  exceedingly :  still  a  winter  view 
of  the  Falls  from  "  Termination  Rock,"  is  perhaps  the  most 
inconceivably  magnificent  of  any  in  the  whole  compass  of  crea- 
tion. All  that  the  most  exuberant  fancy  ever  imagined  of 
beauty  and  of  grandeur  falls  immeasurably  short  of  the  reality 
that  presents  itself  to  your  view,  while  standing  on  "Termina- 
lion  Rodi "  in  winter.  On  one  hand  there  is  the  same  dark 
wall  of  solid  rock  which  you  see  in  summer,  beautifully  festooned 
with  icicles  of  a  thousand  various  shapes,  and  of  immense  mag- 
nitude; on  the  other,  there  is  a  massive  wall  of  ice,  with,  here 
and  there,  an  aperture  of  most  grotesque  conformation,  through 
which  you  can  see  the  rushing  torrent  and  the  wreathing  foam ; 
while  over  head  the  ever  livmg  waters  are  rolling  on  and  on, 
intact  and  unsubdued  by  the  relentless  power  of  the  ice-throned 
monarch  of  the  season. 

After  wrapping  yourself  closely  up  in  your  cloak — the  more 
fur  you  have  about  you  the  better — look  leisurely  around  you, 
if  you  did  not  do  so  previously,  and  you  will  see  more  than 
was  ever  "dreamed  of  in  your  philosophy."  Every  rock,  every 
tree  and  shrub — nay,  every  fragment  of  rock,  every  limb  of 
tree  and  shrub,  is  pendant  with  a  gorgeousness  and  glory 
unparalleled  in  the  poet's  dreams  of  the  land  of  Fairy.  Beau- 
tiful, exceedingly,  is  the  workmanship  of  John  Frost  in  this 
neighborhood ;  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  in  spite  of 
"  pilot  cloth,"  flannel  and  fur,  there  is  still,  as  in  every  human 
enjoyment,  a  peg  loose — a  deduction  to  be  made — "Poor  Tom's 
a-cold." 


THE  AMERICAN  FALL. 

We  have  been  long  enough  on  one  side  of  the  river — let  us 
go  to  the  other.  Perhaps  the  greater  number  of  our  friends 
have  been  there  first ;  but  no  matter  for  that  Whoever  has 
seen  the  Falls  on  one  side,  and  not  on  the  other,  need  nq/L  say 
anything  about  them  when  he  goes  home — he  knows  nothing 
of  the  matter  at  all.  It  is  of  no  moment  whether  you  are  first 
"caught"  on  one  side  of  the  river  or  on  the  other;  there  is  a 
ferry,  and  a  safe  one,  just  under  the  American  Fall ;  and  you 
either  ascend  or  descend,  as  the  case  may  be,  by  a  flight  of 


HKETGUES   OF   NIAOABA   FALLS. 


113 


BtepR,  Much  as  has  been  before  mentioned.  Perhaps  from  no 
point  is  tho  American  Fall  seen  to  greater  advantage  than  from 
the  river  in  crossing  the  Ferry.  In  a  clear  day  the  scene  is 
indescribably  beautiful;  and  if  you  have  just  been  viewing  the 
British  Fall,  tho  prospect  of  the  bright  sparkling  torrent  of 
water,  wliito  as  unsunned  snow,  and  studded  with  innumerable 
rainbows,  broken  into  fragments,  and  vibrating  amid  the  dashing 
sprav,  has  an  exhilarating  effect  on  your  spirits,  and  contributes 
to  disHipato  that  undetinable  sensation  of  awe  which  always 
comes  over  the  mind,  while  contemplating  that  magnificent 
"  wonder  of  the  world."  Accounts  differ  as  to  the  comparative 
height  of  tho  two  Falls.  One  has  been  already  copied ;  others 
again  make  the  American  Full  164  feet  and  the  "Crescent" 
only  108  feet  high.  But  it  is  not  a  question  of  any  moment 
whatever.  That  petty  national  jealousy,  or  interested  rivalry, 
which  is  so  ludicrously  displayed  in  the  *♦  Guide  B«ipks,"  can- 
not add  A  foot  to  the  one  Fall,  or  deduct  any  thing  from 
tlie  other.  There  they  roll  away,  side  by  side,  unconscious 
alike  of  national  distinction  and  local  prejudice,  pealing  in  unison 
their  deep  monotonous  hymn  to  the  Almighty  Monarch  of  the 
universe. 

Although  it  is  only  from  the  Canada  side,  or  from  the  river 
at  tho  Ferry,  that  a  full  front  view  of  both  the  Falls  can  be 
obtained,  still  for  a  variety  of  prospect,  the  palm  must  be 
yielded  to  Goat  or  Iris  Island,  which  is  situated  in  the  midst 
of  the  Rapids,  and  constitutes  the  wall  of  partition  between  the 
Cataracts.  After  ascending  the  stairs  from  the  Ferry  to  tho 
village  of  Niagara  Falls,  where  there  are  several  magnificent 
lioteTs  for  public  accommodation,  you  reach  the  Island  by  a 
wooden  bridge  thrown  across  the  Rapids,  for  the  use  of  which 
you  have  to  pay  26  cents.  The  toll-keeper  has  always  on 
liand  a  large  stock  of  Indian  and  other  curiosities  for  sale.  The 
guides  are  Messrs.  Hooker  and  Sons,  who,  with  their  assistants, 
will  render  you  prompt'  and  willing  service  in  exploring  the 
beauties  of  his  island  paradise. 

At  tho  lower  end  of  the  island  there  is  a  spiral  stair-case,  by 
which  you  can  descend  to  the  margin  of  the  river,  185  feet, 
along  which  there  is  a  pathway  leading  to  the  great  Crescent, 
by  which,  when  the  wind  blows  up  the  river,  you  can  go  with 
great  safety  and  pleasure  under  the  sheet  of  water ;  and  another 
leading  to  one  of  the  most  stupendous  scenes  in  this  interesting 
localitiy  —  tho  "Cave  of  the  Winds."    This  cave  is  situated 


t.' 


114 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


immediately  behind  the  middle  FhII,  which  wo  have  omitted  to 
notice  particuhirly,  on  account  of  its  comparative  inferiority, 
thou^li  in  any  otlu*r  vicinity  would  of  itself  be  an  object  of 
wonder.  Mr.  Parsons,  the  autlior  of  the  "Book  of  the  Falls," 
says,  "this  cave  is  about  120  feet  across,  50  feet  wide,  and  100 
feet  high."  The  same  writer  remarks,  that  the  "astounding 
roar  of  the  waters,  owing  to  the  echoes  or  reverberations,  is 
apparently  a  hundred  times  greater  here  than  anywhere  else ; " 
and  anothcT  observes,  "it  is  said  to  be  quite  an  adventure  to 
go  und'T  Table  llock;  it  is  a  much  greater  one  to  visit  this 
cavern."  Such,  however,  is  the  vastness,  and  such  the  variety 
of  the  scenery  in  this  neighborhood,  that  it  is  as  idle  to  insti- 
tute comparisons  as  to  attempt  descriptions.  Every  particular 
feature  is  so  striking,  ^?cy'  se,  that  it  displaces,  in  a  great  degree, 
the  idea  suggested  by  another  feature  previously  contemplated. 

After  Laving  winded  your  toilsome  way  up  the  "Biddle 
stair-case,"  keep  along  the  footpath  across  the  Island  till  you 
come  to  the  Terrapin  Bridge,  which  leads  you  to  a  stone  tower 
forty-five  feet  high,  erected  near  the  verge  of  the  precipice. 
You  reach  the  top  of  this  tower  by  a  flight  of  winding  steps ; 
and  there  you  behold  a  scene,  which,  though  differing  m  some 
respects  from  that  seen  from  Table  Rock,  is  yet  worthy  of  all 
comparison,  in  so  far  as  comparison  is  at  all  admissible.  There 
is  the  headlong  torrent  rushing  impetuously  over  the  precipice, 
far  beneath'your  feet,  and  the  "hell  of  waters,"  boiling,  hiss- 
ing, foaming  and  thundering  in  the  unfathomed  abyss  still 
farther  down.  There,  too,  you  have  a  partfal,  yet  striking, 
view  of  the  "American  Fall ; "  and  your  eye  reaches  down  the 
vast  vistn  of  waters,  veiled  in  clouds  of  mist,  and  rolling  away 
— away,  in  peaceful  and  unruffled  majesty,  as  if  they  never 
had  been  touched  by  a  sterner  influence  than  that  of  the 
summer  breeze.  A  deep  feeling  of  mystery,  not  unallied  with 
terror,  possesses  the  mind,  and  you  cling  with  involuntary  and 
unconscious  tenacity  to  the  railing  which  surrounds  the  vibra- 
ting platform  on  which  you  stand. 

Go  round  the  Island,  and  you  will  see  the  adjoining  "Moss 
Islands,"  and  the  turbulent  water,  struggling  and  rushmg  with 
fearful  velocity  between  them.  The  trees  are  literally  hacked 
with  names  and  initials,  some  of  them  so  far  up  that  the  trouble 
of  inserting  them  there  is  but  poorly  compensated  by  the  vague 
and  evanescent  immortality  thus  obtained.  Every  seat  and 
every  wall — nay,  every  rail  and  stray  log  of  timber,  is  crowded 


^' 


8KE1CHES   OF  NIAOAKA  FALLS. 


115 


with  the  same  evidences  of  "this  longing  after  immortality." 
De  gitstiltus  non  est  diiputandum ;  but  surely  the  nggregato  of 
the  time  consumed  in  this  idle  and  unavailing  labor  conHiitutcs 
a  largo  portion  of  the  sum  of  human  existence,  and  might  be 
more  profitably  as  well  us  plcjisantly  spent  in  some  othor  way. 
It  is  easy  to  write  one's  name  in  a  Register  or  Album,  of  which 
there  is  an  abundant  store  on  both  sides  of  the  River;  and  it 
will  just  answer  the  purpose  as  well ;  for  unless  you  have  done 
something  more  worthy  of  note  than  merely  going  to  see  the 
Falls,  the  inscription  of  your  name  on  a  tree  or  rock  will  not 
perpetuate  your  memory.  The  name  may  ind(?cd  remain ;  but 
who  can  tell,  after  a  few  brief  years,  to  whom  it  belonged  ? 

From  the  upper  end  of  the  Island  you  have,  perhaps,  one  of 
the  best  views  of  the  Rapids  tliat  can  be  obtained — cert/iinly 
the  best  on  the  American  side.  But  it  is  undoubtedly  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Mr.  Street's  house  on  the  British  shore  that 
they  present  the  most  v"''».  picture  in  miniature  of  the  ocean 
lashea  into  fury  by  *'.»*  tempest.  Not  that  their  power  and 
velocity  is  less  o'- lously  resistless  here;  but  that  the  view  is 
more  obstructed  and  not  so  extensive.  If  the  grandeur,  how- 
ever, is  less  impressive,  the  variety  of  beauty  is  much  more 
enchanting.  This  Island,  in  short,  is  one  of  tlie  most  attractive 
and  delicious  retreats  in  the  world;  and  he  who  traverses  its 
solitudes  on  a  summer  morning,  or  under  the  more  solemn  in- 
fluence of  an  autumnal  moon,  in  early  life,  ere  the  withering 
touch  of  worldly  care  and  worldly  sorrow  shall  have  deadened 
the  perception  of  glory  and  of  beauty  in  his  bosom,  will  have 
one  green  spot  the  more,  whereon  Memory  may  repose  in  all 
his  after  yeai*s  of  wandering  and  weariness.  • 

Why  should  we  tell  you  of  a  paper-mill  and  a  poultry-yard 
in  such  a  place  as  this?  It  is  rather  an  unpoetic  blending  of 
the  utile  cum  duke;  but  there  they  are,  nevertheless,  on  this 
very  Island.  They  are  on  the  outskirts  of  it,  however,  and  the 
water-girdled  paradise  is,  in  general,  hift  undesecrated  by  the 
beggarly  influence  of  modern  ultraism — a  fitting  shrine  for  love, 
poetry,  or  any  other  kind  of  moping  madness. 

"O!  th<at  Mts /«/«n<i(  were  my  dwelling-place. 
With  one  fair  spirit  for  my  minister; 
Where  I  might  all  forget  the  human  race,  •;       ' 

'*  *■  And,  hating  no  one,  love  only  her."  .  *  v 

But  it  may  not  be;  for,  to  say  nothing  of  the  "fair  spirit," 
wo  are  not  likely  to  "forget  the  human  race"  here,  seeing 


116 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGABA   FALLS. 


all  the  world,  with  his  wife  and  daughters,  would  visit  us  every 
summer. 

We  might  swell  our  book,  by  telling  you  a  thousand  things 
about  the  Falls  which  vou  have  doubtless  heard  and  read  of 
before :  of  this  vessel  and  the  other  being  sent  over  the  cata- 
ract, with  bears,  geese,  etc.,  as  passengers;  of  one  "startling 
incident,"  and  another  "frightful  occurrence,"  such  as  Sam 
Patch  having  leaped  into  the  Fall  here,  and  William  Gham- 
bei's  being  carried  over  it  there,  one  stormy  night,  in  a  canoe, 
and  disappearing  forever;  and  we  might  make  a  very  pretty 
romance  out  of  the  strange  but  true  story  of  Francis  Abbot, 
the  "hermit,"  who  lived  in  utter  seclusion  for  two  years  on  the 
Island,  played  a  guitar,  wrote  Latin,  lived  on  water  mixed  with 
flour,  and  finally  was  drowned  when  bathing.  But  all  these 
things  have  already  been  chronicled  in  the  "Guide  Books." 
We  merely  hint  at  them,  and  refer  you  for  further  information 
to  those  whose  business  it  is  to  furnish  it 

We  close  our  remarks  on  this  locality  with  an  extract  from 
a  Mss.  description  of  the  Falls,  by  Mr.  Edward  Lane: 

"  Luna  Island  is  connected  with  Qoat  Island  by  means  of  two  pieces 
of  timbor  laid  across,  and  within  a  few  yards  of  the  brow  of  the  cata- 
ract or  Centre  Fall,  which  is  about  fifty-four  feet  wide.  Looking  up 
between  the  Islands,  this  small  branch  of  the  river  appears  to  be  issuing 
out  of  the  wood,  and  coming  down  a  flight  of  steps,  some  eight  or  ten 
feet  distant  from  each  other,  forming,  if  not  so  sublime,  at  least  as  beau- 
tiful a  view  as  that  of  the  Falls  themselves.  From  the  Island,  which  is^ 
about  thirty  yards  in  width,  a  side  view  of  the  American  Fall  may  be 
obtained.  From  its  edge,  that  which,  iu  front,  appears  to  be  sti'aight,  or 
nearly  so,  assumes  almost  as  much  the  t'lape  of  a  curve  as  the  Grand 
Crescent  itself.  From  this  point,  too,  when  th<^  sun  is  shining,  and  has 
reached  sufficient  altrtude,  a  beautiful  rainbow  may  be  seen  immediately 
beneath  the  feet  of  the  spectator,  such  as  is,  indeed,  presented  at  every 
point  of  the  Falls  under  similar  circumstances.  The  moon  also  by 
night  produces  the  same  phenomenon,  while  the  white  foam  of  the 
falling  waters,  the  ascending  mist  and  agitated  bosom  of  the  river 
assume  the  appearance  of  living  liquid  crystal." 


MINOR  CURIOSITES. 
THE  WHIRLPOOL. 


It  is  the  same  with  this  as  with  other  wonders  of  the  Niagara 
River — personal  inspection  is  the  thing.  Books  are  mere  tran- 
scripts of  impressions  made  on  the  minds  of  their  respective 
writers.    Still  it  may  be  well  enough,  after  you  have  seen  with 


t 


SKETOnES  OF  NIAOASA  FALLS. 


117 


fo 


your  own  eyes,  to  listen  to  what  others  think  and  say  of  what 
ou  have  thus  seen ;  but  we  hold  it  as  a  good  general  rule,  to 
look  first  and  read  the  book,  whether  it  calls  itself  a  "  Guide  "  or 
not,  afterwards.  But  we  are  forgetting  the  Whirlpool.  Having 
no  knack  at  what  is  called  description,  and  being  withal  "dead 
sweer/'  as  well  as  "wretched  ill  o  t,"  we  again  borrow  as  follows 
from  Mr.  Lane's  mss.: 

<'ODce  arrived  at  the  water's  edge — no  matter  bv  what  means — the 
eye  is  directed  tu  the  Whirlpool,  which  seems  to  oe  a  sort  of  natural 
bnsin,  or  'Iialf-vsay  home,*  where  the  river  may  rest  and  refresh  itself 
after  itJ4  recent  exertions*  It  is  nearly  circular,  and,  as  far  as  I  can 
judge,  about  a  mile  in  circumference. 

"From  the  appearance  of  tlie  land  upon  the  hill,  I  am  led  io  imagine 
that  the  Falls  were  anciently  situated  here,  and  have  gradually  receded 
to  the  place  at  which  we  now  find  them. (?)  Unfortunately,  on  rav 
visit,  ilia  Whirlpool  was  about  five  feet  below  its  usual  level';  still  it 
possessed  sufficient  attractions  to  repay  me  for  my  trouble.  A  tvee, 
which  had  either  been  precipitated  over  the  cataract,  or  had  accidentally 
.  fallen  into  the  river  below  it,  continued  for  two  hours — the  duration  of 

^fL^  my  visit— most  perseveringly  performing  a  rotary  motion  around  a  circle 

a  lurlong  in  diameter. 

"  The  river  at  this  place  turns  abruptly  round  a  point,  as  if  with  an 
intention  to  retrace  its  course,  as  part  of  the  current  dashes  suddenly 
round  and  pursues  its  onward  way,  while  another  portion,  obstructed 
in  its  progruMS  by  the  intervening  promontory,  recoils  and  produces  the 
eddying  of  the  waters,  called  the  '  Whirlpool.' 

"  Numerous  accidents  have  taken  place  here.  The  places  of  inter- 
ment of  throe  individuals  was  pointed  out  to  me.  Some  twenty-two 
years  ago  (from  183M,  when  the  British  were  stockading  Fort  George, 
one  Macdonald,  in  Government  employ,  was  engaged  with  others  in 
rafting  timber  down  the  Niagara.  The'  crib  on  which  he  happei.ed  to 
be  situated,  broke  from  its  moorings ;  and  for  several  hours  the  unfor- 
tunate Scot,  with  no  other  music  but  the  roaring  of  the  waters  and  his 
own  groanf,  and  without  the  slightest  exertion  on  his  part,  performed  a 
dance  somewhat  different  from  the  '  Highland  Fling,'  which,  however 
novel,  he  found  anything  but  entertaining.  To  rescue  him  from  his 
perilous  situation,  u  boat  was  brought  by  land  from  Queenston,  with 
the  intention  of  lowering  it  down  the  precipice;  but  fortunately,  at  the 
moment  of  its  arrival,  Macdonald.  by  mer^ns  of  a  rope  which  had  been 
thrown  to  him,  was  extricated." 

In  any  other  vicinity  the  Whirlpool,  and  indeed  the  whole  of 
the  scenery  on  the  bank  of  the  river  from  the  Falls  to  Queens- 
ton,  would  be  objects  of  attraction  to  strangers.  As  it  is,  all 
should  be  viewed.  Independently  of  the  natural  characteris- 
tics of  the  locality,  it  abounds  with  historical  associations  of 

*This  "half-way  house"  seems  to  be  rather  a  disorderly  r$tting- 
p/oM.— Ed. 


118 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


battle  and  of  flood — of  death  and  desolation.  From  the  top  of 
Brock's  monument  on  Queenston  mountain,  there  is  a  prospect, 
perhaps  unparalleled  for  beauty  and  extent  in  North  America. 
There  is  the  pure  pellucid  Niagara  winding  its  circuitous  way 
beneath  your  feet,  as  calmly  and  peacefully  as  if  its  waters  had 
never  known  the  turbulence  and  turmoil  of  the  Fall  above ; 
there  is  the  deep  blue  Ontario  in  the  distance,  with  its  placid 
bosom  studded  with  numerous  merchant  vessels,  and  the  darker 
but  more  rapidly  shifting  fonns  of  the  passage  ships,  pro- 
pelled by  the  invisible  agency  of  the  great  magician,  steam ; 
there  is  the  rural  hamlet  embowered  amid  ancestral  trees,  the 
white-walled  village,  the  rising  city,  and  the  interminable  forest 
stretching  far  and  wide  into  the  dim  obscurity  of  distance. 


THE  FERRY— CLIFTON  HOUSE. 

After  the  notice  already  taken  of  the  Perry,  it  will  be  suflfi- 
cicnt  to  state  that  there  is  an  experienced  ferryman  on  each 
side  of  the  river;  there  is  a  little  inconvenience  arising  from 
spray,  for  part  of  the  way  across,  when  the  wind  is  blowing 
down  the  river,  but  there  is  not  the  least  danger. 

The  Clifton  House,  adjoining  the  Ferry  on  the  Canada  side, 
is  a  large  and  splendid  hotel.  The  view  of  the  Falls  from  the 
galleries  is  magnificent;  and  the  house  within  affords  ample 
accommodation  for  travelers. 


THE  BURNING  SPRING. 


Having  called  again  at  Barnett's  Museum,  where,  by  the 
way,  there  is,  besides  the  creature  comforts  formerly  mention- 
ed, also  an  assortment  of  mineral  specimens,  petrefactions, 
walking  canes,  (fee,  for  sale,  you  may  pay  a  visit  to  the  "  Burn- 
ing Spring,"  which  is  about  a  mile  south  of  the  Falls,  where 
a  well  is  enclosed  in  a  small  wooden  building ;  and  you  are 
here,  as  at  the  other  points  of  particular  attraction,  accommo- 
dated with  &  guide,  who  takes  a  lighted  candle  with  him,  on 
applyin[^  which  to  the  orifice  of  a  metal  tube  fixed  in  the  bot- 
tom of  nn  inverted  wooden  vessel  which  covers  the  spring,  a 
bright  flame  is  emitted.  A  writer,  who  examined  the  place 
minutely,  says,  *'  There  are  two  other  similar  springs  some  dis- 
tance farther  up  the  river  the  sites  of  which  are  known  to  but 


8KETCBBS   OF   NIAGARA    FALLS. 


119 


few.  Therefore,  from  the  consideration  that  a  large  quantity 
of  this  sulphureate  hydrogen  gas  is  emitted  from  a  compara- 
tively small  quantity  of  water,  it  is  probable^hat  a  sufficient 
Body  of  gas  might  be  collected  to  be  applicable  to  purposes  of 
utility."  There  were  once  grist  and  saw  mills  oft  this  spot,  but 
they  were  destroyed  during  the  last  American  war,  and  have 
never  been  rebuilt.  There  are  also  sulphur  springs  oozing  from 
the  rocks  behind  the  "  Sheet  of  Water." 


PASSAGE  BEHIND  THE  CATARACT. 

It  is  not  perhaps  generally  known,  that  Mr.  Thomas  Bamett, 
the  gentlemanly  proprietor 'of  the  Museum  and  Public  Garden 
on  the  Canada  side,  has  also,  for  some  time  past,  had  the  en- 
tire charge  of  the  house  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  leading  to 
the  passage  behind  the  great  Falls  to  "  Termination  Rock." 
Mr.  B.  during  a  residence  of  more  than  16  years  at  the  Falls, 
by  his  uniform,  correct  deportment,  has  won  for  himself  a  re- 
putation as  enviable  as  it  is  deserved.  His  charges  are  uni- 
form and  moderate,  and  his  guide  behind  the  great  sheet  is 
always  to  be  depended  upon.  J£e  make  this  mention  as  an 
act  of  justice  to  Mr.  Barnett,  ^^more  particularly,  as  in  for- 
mer years  the  passage  behind  the  sheet  was  in  the  charge  of 
a  person  whose  charges  and  conduct  were  not  of  the  kind  cal- 
culated to  win  confidence  or  gain  good  will ;  and  many  persons 
have  been  deterred  from  visiting  this  pointy  believing  the  same 
objections  to  still  exist. — Buffalo  Commercial  Advertiser, 


CONCLUSION. 

We  might  protract  our  intercourse  with  you  ad  libitum^  if 
we  were  your  professional  guide ;  but  we  leave  you  in  charge 
of  the  initiated,  who  will  tell  you  all  about  the  battle  grounds, 
(fee,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Falls.  The  history  of  this  fron- 
tier is  more  deeply  written  in  blood  than  that  of  any  other 
portion  of  Upper  Canada  Even  recently  it  has  been  the 
theatre  of  numerous  acts  of  conflagration  and  robbery,  and  one 
atrocious  murder — that  of  Captain  Usher,  who  was  roused 
from  his  bed  at  dead  of  night,  by  masked  assassins,  and  delib- 
erately shot  in  his  own  house.    All  these  deeds  of  violence  are 


t 


120 


SKETCHES  OF  NIAOABA  FALLS. 


supposed  to  originate  from  the  late  unhappy  and  insane  at- 
tenapt  of  a  portion  of  the  people  of  the  Province,  led  on  by  a 
few  turbulent  and  ambitious  demagogues,  to  dissever  the  con- 
nection of  these  Colonies  with  the  Mother  Country.  We  might 
tell  you  about  the  occupation  of  Navy  Island  by  Mackenzie 
and  his  band  of  outlaws ;  the  burning  of  the  Caroline,  and  a 
number  of  other  matters  of  local  interest;  but  they  are  record- 
ed in  the  journals  of  the  day,  and  will  doubtless  in  due  time  ap- 
{)ear  on  the  page  of  history.  The  student  of  nature  can  have 
ittle  gratification  in  contemplating  scenes  of  slaughter  and 
strife ;  and  there  needs  not  the  adventitious  aid  of  historical 
recollection  to  enkindle  the  devotion  of  the  pilgrim  who  comes 
from  afar  to  worship  in  this  sublime  and  solitary  temple  of  the 
Eternal.    . 

Our  task  is  now  accomplished.  "  What  is  writ  is  writ — 
would  it  were  worthier!'*  In  parting  with  our  fair  and  gentlfi 
readers,  perhaps  forever,  we  wish 

"  To  each  and  all  a  fair  good-night, 
And  rosy  dreams  and  slumbers  light" 


^.  ■ 


VIEW  OF  THE  WHiaLFOOL. 


insane  at- 
on  by  a 
the  con- 

''e  might 

[ackenzie 
Ine,  and  a 
(re  record- 
|e  time  ap- 

can  have 
jhter  and 

historical 
rho  comes 
iple  of  the 

is  writ — 
and  gentle 


it-i'- .  '< 


r  > 


